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反躬自問

简反躬自问 · 繁反躬自問

Mandarin · pinyin fǎn gōng zì wèn

introspection
to ask oneself

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Characters in this entry

反: fǎn · reverse, opposite, contrary, anti
躬: gōng · body; personally, in person
自: zì · self, private, personal; from; Kangxi radical 132
問: wèn · ask (about), inquire after
问: wèn · ask about, inquire after

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–1–4–4 · fan3 gong1 zi4 wen4

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

反躬自問 · find source passages ↗ · 反躬自问 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

faan2 gung1 zi6 man6

Cantonese word readings for 反躬自問. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) to ask oneself; to examine oneself; to examine one's conscience

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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