弗 (fú) — (literary) not
Definition
弗 (fú) is a literary negation adverb meaning 'not' — used only in formal or classical-style writing, not in everyday speech. It always appears before a verb (e.g. 弗取, 弗可为).
adverb
(literary) not
Easily confused
- 沸fèilook-aliketo boil
- 幅fúsound-alike(classifier) for paintings, pictures, and textiles (curtains, cloth, etc.)
- 拂bìlook-aliketo brush / whisk / flick (lightly)
- 服fúsound-aliketo take (medicine)
- 福fúsound-alikegood fortune; happiness; luck
- 扶fúsound-aliketo support with the hand; to help (someone) up; to hold onto (something) for support
Examples
- 弗，弗。Bù xué fú zhī, bú wèn fú míng.Without learning you won't know; without asking you won't understand.
- 弗。Jūn zǐ fú qǔ bú yì zhī cái.A gentleman does not take ill-gotten wealth.
- 弗。Cǐ wù fú kě wéi wài rén dào yě.This matter cannot be spoken to outsiders.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.
The old form of 弗 pictures a rope wrapped around two pieces of wood to keep them straight.
Appears in
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