負け

• Reading: まけ
• Romaji: make
• Kanji breakdown: 負 (fu/makeru) — lose, bear, owe
• Pronunciation: /ma.ke/

Meaning

Defeat; loss. The state of having lost a competition or contest.

A noun derived from the verb 負ける (makeru, to lose). Used in sports, games, and figurative contexts. Key patterns: 負けず嫌い (makezu-girai, hating to lose/competitive person), 勝ち負け (kachi-make, winning and losing), 負けを認める (make wo mitomeru, to admit defeat). Also appears in commercial contexts: 負けてくれる (makete kureru, to give a discount).

Examples

1. 今日の試合は3対1で負けだった。 Today's game was a 3-to-1 loss.
2. 彼は負けず嫌いな性格だ。 He has a competitive personality and hates losing.
3. 勝ち負けより楽しむことが大切だ。 Enjoying yourself is more important than winning or losing.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, competition, games

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Noun form of 負ける (makeru, to lose/bear). The kanji 負 depicts a person (人) carrying a shell (貝) on their back, symbolising bearing a burden — extended to bearing a defeat.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal