N4 kanji · 4 strokes
不 means not, un-
不
不Memory trick
A line blocking a seed from sprouting: not.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- negative, non-, bad, ugly
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 4 in Japan
From Chinese (onyomi) フ fu
フ (fu) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: ブ bu
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
不明 ふめい · fumei
unclear, obscure
Built from
- 一 one
- 丿 a sweeping stroke
- 丨 a line
- 丶 dot
Quick check
What does 不 mean?
Right: 不 means not, un-.Not quite: 不 means not, un-.In 不明, which reading does 不 use?
Right. 不明 is read ふめい (fumei): 不 takes フ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 不明 is read ふめい (fumei): 不 takes フ, its reading from Chinese.