Kanji N3

負: defeat, negative, -

負 is a JLPT N3 kanji meaning defeat, negative, -, written with 9 strokes. It is read フ (on) and まける, まかす, おう (kun). Children in Japan learn it in grade 3. You will see it in 負け (まけ, defeat) and 負ける (まける, to lose).

負

Meanings

  • defeat
  • negative
  • -
  • minus
  • bear
  • owe
  • assume a responsibility
Strokes9
JLPT levelN3
School gradeGrade 3
Frequency#443 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • フ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • まける
  • まかす
  • おう

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

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Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 9. Start at the dot.

Common words with 負

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 負けまけ

    defeat; loss; losing (a game)

    JLPT N3
  • 負けるまける

    to lose; to be defeated; to be beaten

    JLPT N4
  • 勝負しょうぶ

    victory or defeat

    JLPT N2
  • 負担ふたん

    burden; load; responsibility

    JLPT N1
  • 負うおう

    to carry on one's back; to bear; to shoulder

    JLPT N1
  • 負債ふさい

    debt; liabilities

    JLPT N1
  • 負傷ふしょう

    injury; wound

    JLPT N1
  • 負かすまかす

    to defeat

    JLPT N1

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.