Definition
负 (fù) has three main senses. For 'to bear a burden/responsibility', it is more concise and formal than the two-character 背负 (bēi fù). For 'to lose/be defeated', 负 is more literary than the common 失败 (shī bài) or 败 (bài). As an adjective, 负 means 'negative' in math/science, while 负面 (fù miàn) refers to negative aspects in a figurative sense.
verb
to bearto carry (a burden, responsibility, debt)to be defeatedto lose
adjective
negative (in mathematics, electricity, temperature, etc.)
Easily confused
- 贵guìlook-alikeexpensive
- 付fùsound-aliketo pay
- 赛sàilook-aliketo compete
- 副fùsound-alike(classifier) for pairs, sets, and facial expressions
- 赏shǎnglook-aliketo reward, to bestow (a gift or money from a superior to an inferior)
- 副fùsound-alikesecondary; auxiliary; vice- (in official titles)
- 员yuánlook-alike(suffix) person; employee; member
- 幅fúsound-alike(classifier) for paintings, pictures, and textiles (curtains, cloth, etc.)
- 服fúsound-aliketo take (medicine)
- 福fúsound-alikegood fortune; happiness; luck
Examples
- 。Tā fù zé zhège xiàngmù de guǎnlǐ.He is responsible for the management of this project.
- 负。Tāmen duì yǐ yì fēn zhī chā fù le.Their team lost by one point.
- 负。Jīntiān de wēndù shì fù shí dù.Today's temperature is minus ten degrees.
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