負 Kanji – defeat
The Japanese kanji 負 can mean defeat, negative, -, minus, bear, owe, assume a responsibility.
Meaning and Readings
How is 負 read?
負 has the onyomi reading フ and the kunyomi readings まける, まかす, おう.
In romaji, these readings can be written as fu, makeru, makasu, ou.
Common Japanese Words Using 負
These common Japanese words contain 負. Select linked kanji to explore their meanings and readings.
- お負けに（おまけに） — to make matters worse, besides, what's more, in addition, on top of that
- 気負い（きおい） — eagerness, enthusiasm, fervor, excitement, fighting spirit, fighting mood
- 自負（じふ） — pride, self-confidence, thinking highly of oneself, being proud of one's abilities or achievements
- 勝負（しょうぶ） — victory or defeat
- 請け負う（うけおう） — to contract, to undertake
- 背負う（せおう） — to carry on one's back
- 負（ふ） — negative, minus
- 負う（おう） — to carry on one's back, to bear, to shoulder
- 負かす（まかす） — to defeat
- 負け（まけ） — defeat, loss, losing (a game)