負
defeat · negative · - · minus · bear · owe · assume a responsibility
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of shell and person. Person bearing shell.
Symbolism
Lose, burden, bear. Represents bearing.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Enjoying a meal
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
一六勝負
いちろくしょうぶ
gambling on whether the throw of a die will produce a "one" or a "six"; gambling with dice; gambling
真剣勝負
しんけんしょうぶ
fighting with real swords; game played in real earnest
Proverbs & Idioms
負けるが勝ち
まけるがかち
Losing is winning
Sometimes yielding leads to victory
負け犬の遠吠え
まけいぬのとおぼえ
The howling of a loser
Sour grapes from the defeated
Anime & Manga
推しの子
Oshi no Ko
Suspense depicting the 'negative' side of showbiz.
劇場版 シュタインズゲート 負荷領域のデジャヴ
Steins;Gate The Movie – Load Region of Déjà Vu
A well-known work with 負 in its Japanese title.
負けヒロインが多すぎる！
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
A well-known work with 負 in its Japanese title.
幼なじみが絶対に負けないラブコメ
Osamake: Romcom Where The Childhood Friend Won't Lose
A well-known work with 負 in its Japanese title.
Games
ダークソウル
Dark Souls(2011)
Developer: FromSoftware
High-difficulty RPG challenging without giving up despite 'losing.'
View on Amazon →Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 負 mean in Japanese?
負 means defeat, negative, -, minus, bear, owe, assume a responsibility.
How do you read 負?
On'yomi: フ (FU). Kun'yomi: ま.ける、ま.かす、お.う (makeru, makasu, ou).
How many strokes does 負 have?
負 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 貝 (shell).
Is 負 a good kanji for a tattoo?
負 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means defeat, negative, -, minus, bear, owe, assume a responsibility. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.