‘反省’ is a verb meaning ‘to reflect (on oneself)’—specifically, to thoughtfully examine one’s own actions, motives, or mistakes with the aim of self-improvement. The character 反 (fǎn) means ‘to turn back’ or ‘to reverse’, and 省 (xǐng) means ‘to examine’ or ‘to realize’. Together, they convey the idea of turning inward to inspect one’s behavior or thoughts. This word carries a serious, introspective tone and is commonly used in moral, educational, or personal growth contexts.

It often appears after verbs like ‘需要’ (need to), ‘应该’ (should), or ‘开始’ (begin to), and frequently co-occurs with phrases indicating cause (e.g., ‘因为犯了错’ — because of a mistake) or purpose (e.g., ‘以便改正’ — in order to correct). Unlike casual words like ‘想想’ (think about), ‘反省’ implies depth, sincerity, and accountability—it’s not just thinking, but morally engaged self-scrutiny.