Definitions
(verb)
to carry; to bear (on one's back)
(adjective)
negative; minus
(verb)
to be defeated
Etymology
Pictograph of an adult person with a hairpin in their hair, indicating being fully grown up into adulthood. In ancient China, adults usually wore a hairpin. Similar in origin to 每.
About
The character "负" finds its origins in the traditional form "負", which is structurally composed of "人" positioned above "貝", visually conveying the idea of a person carrying a shell on their back and thus initially denoting the physical act of bearing a load. This core meaning of carrying naturally extended into more abstract realms, such as assuming responsibility or a burden, and later specialized within financial contexts to indicate owing a debt. Over time, the semantic scope of the character expanded further to encompass concepts of failure or defeat, as in losing a conflict, and broadened to represent opposition or negation, including its use as a mathematical negative, all while maintaining a connection to its foundational pictorial logic through the persistent components of person and valuable shell.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我负责打扫房间。
这对他是个负担。
负面消息不好。
他不想辜负父母。
我负担不起学费。
他的自负让人讨厌。
他在战斗中负伤了。
负利率会影响经济。