不

• Reading: ふ
• Romaji: fu
• Kanji breakdown: 不 (fu/bu) — not, un-, non-
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ/

Meaning

Un-; non-; a negative prefix that attaches to words to negate their meaning.

A highly productive prefix used to negate or express the absence of something. Essential compounds: 不安 (fuan, anxiety/unease), 不便 (fuben, inconvenient), 不満 (fuman, dissatisfaction), 不可能 (fukanou, impossible), 不思議 (fushigi, mysterious). Differs from 無 (mu, absence/none) in that 不 suggests 'not being in the expected state' while 無 means 'complete absence.' Mastering 不- compounds significantly expands N3 vocabulary.

Examples

1. 試験の結果が不安で夜眠れなかった。 I was so anxious about the exam results that I couldn't sleep at night.
2. この辺りはバスが少なくて不便だ。 This area has few buses, so it's inconvenient.
3. 会議の結果に不満を持っている人が多い。 Many people are dissatisfied with the results of the meeting.

Usage Guide

Context: word formation, negation, formal writing

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From ancient Chinese. The character 不 originally depicted a flower bud that has not yet bloomed, representing the concept of 'not yet' or 'not.' One of the oldest and most fundamental negation characters.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal