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返祖現象

简返祖现象 · 繁返祖現象

Mandarin · pinyin fǎn zǔ xiàn xiàng

(biology) atavism

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Characters in this entry

返: fǎn · return, revert to, restore
祖: zǔ · ancestor, forefather; grandfather
現: xiàn · appear, manifest, become visible
象: xiàng · elephant; ivory; figure, image
现: xiàn · appear, manifest, become visible

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

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Mandarin tones

3–3–4–4 · fan3 zu3 xian4 xiang4

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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.

返祖現象 · find source passages ↗ · 返祖现象 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

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

noun

throwback; atavism

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

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