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negate

HSK 3 N2
fǒu
いな、いや
부, 비
Originally the same character as 不. Distinguishing component 口 was added later to the character when it took on the meaning "not". 不 represents the sound.
Components
no+ mouth =
negate
Meaning component
no
no, not
View phonetic series →
kǒu mouth
Added later when the character started to mean "not" and to distinguish from 不.
Notes
Historical Evolution
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze
Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Bronze
Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Regular
Modern
Chinese
[fǒu]
to negate; to deny; not
[pǐ]
clogged; evil
Japanese
同音
noun no; the noes
いや 同音
int. usually kana no
いな 同音
  1. int. formal no; nay
  2. noun formal disagreement; objection; disapproval
Example Sentences