叛

The rupture of a bond, duty, or loyalty, specifically the act of turning against a superior, benefactor, or sworn obligation. Its range includes political or military uprising (coups), desertion from a lord or post (connoting moral failure or crime), and interpersonal betrayal of trust.

Functions as a verb (to rebel, betray, desert), a noun (a rebellion, an act of treason), or an attributive (rebellious, treacherous, faithless).

While frequently interchangeable with 反 (//fǎn//) in early texts, 叛 specifically emphasizes the treasonous nature of the act. Unlike 離 (//lí//), which denotes separation without inherent malice, and 背 (//bèi//), which emphasizes the abandonment of a person or principle, 叛 focuses on the active opposition that follows such a breach.

The glyph encompasses both the physical act of departure (desertion) and the conceptual act of betrayal (rebellion). The translator should determine whether the context describes a movement of personnel or a shift in loyalty.