負

音読おんよみ:

訓読くんよみ:ける, お

画数かくすう: 9

部首ぶしゅ: 貝(かい)

Meaning

Lose / Bear / Carry / Defeat

  • Basic forms
  • 負ける — to lose; be defeated / base form
  • 負けます — (I) lose / masu form
  • 負けた — lost / ta form
  • 負けて — lose and …; please lose (contextual) / te-form
  • 負けない — don’t lose / negative form
  • 負ければ — if (someone) loses / conditional
  • 負けろ・負けよ — lose! (rare command) / imperative
  • Other common forms
  • 負けたい — want to lose (rare) / 〜たい form
  • 負けられる — can lose; can afford to lose / potential
  • 負けられた — could lose (rare usage) / past potential
  • 負けられない — cannot lose; must not be defeated / negative potential
  • More
  • 負けよう — let’s give in; let’s lose (contextual nuance) / 〜よう form
  • 負けなかった — didn’t lose / past negative
  • 負けている — is losing; is being defeated / progressive

負ける(まける) is an ichidan verb. Drop to add endings such as ます, た, て, ない. Used for games, sports, competitions, and figuratively as “to give in” or “to yield,” as in 誘惑ゆうわくに負ける (give in to temptation).

  • 負担ふたん — burden, responsibility
  • 勝負しょうぶ — match, game, contest
  • 抱負ほうふ — aspiration, ambition
  • 責任せきにんう — to take responsibility
  • 負傷ふしょう — injury, wounded

負 combines the shell radical (貝), often symbolizing wealth, with a person (⺈) carrying or taking something on. It originally meant "to carry on the back," but its meanings extended to include "to lose" in competitive situations and "to bear" responsibility.

チームが試合しあいけました。
The team lost the match.

かれ責任せきにんっている。
He is taking responsibility.

担
Creates
負担ふたん — burden, responsibility
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