About
The character "否" is structurally composed of the component "不", meaning "not", placed above "口", meaning "mouth", indicating an oral expression of denial or negation. Its etymology stems from this idea of verbal rejection, with the original sense being to say "no" or to state that something is not so. Over time, its meaning extended beyond mere spoken refusal to function as a general negative particle equivalent to "not" or "not so" in classical and modern Chinese. Additionally, it developed a distinct semantic and phonetic branch, acquiring the reading "pǐ" to signify "bad" or "unlucky" in certain contexts, such as in the compound "否泰" representing adversity and good fortune. This divergence in meaning and usage illustrates how the character's core concept of negation evolved to encompass both disagreement and a qualitative judgment of misfortune.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
你是否喜欢这本书？
他否定了我的建议。
快起床，否则你会迟到。
我不知道他是否会来。
这个理论被科学家否定了。
你必须努力学习，否则无法通过考试。
公司是否批准了这个项目？
无论结果是否令人满意，我们都要接受。