# 負 — be defeated; negative; bear

負 means “be defeated; negative; bear”. It is a JLPT N3 kanji written with 9 strokes. On'yomi: フ (fu). Kun'yomi: ま(ける) (makeru), お(う) (ou). You'll see it in words such as 負け (make, “defeat; loss”).

- Meaning: be defeated; negative; bear
- On'yomi: フ (fu)
- Kun'yomi: ま(ける) (makeru), お(う) (ou)
- Strokes: 9
- Level: JLPT N3 · set Conflict & rivalry 2

## How to remember 負

A bent person (⺈) with shells (貝) on their back: the load of the one who lost.

Parts: ⺈ bent person · 貝 shell; money

## Words with 負

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 負け | まけ (make) | defeat; loss |
| 負う | おう (ou) | to carry on one's back; to bear |
| 負ける | まける (makeru) | to lose; to be defeated |

## Don't confuse it with

[貝](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/shellfish/) · [買](https://moji.ninja/n5-kanji/buy/) · [員](https://moji.ninja/n4-kanji/member/) · [則](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/rule/)

## More in the “Conflict & rivalry 2” set

[武](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/martial/) · [負](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/be-defeated/) · [守](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/guard/) · [敗](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/defeat/) · [兵](https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/soldier/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n3-kanji/be-defeated/. Last updated 2026-11-01.