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否 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
否
fǒu
to negate
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
fǒu
clogged
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
fǒu
to deny
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
fǒu
evil
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
fǒu
not
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
fǒu
no, not, un-; final particle
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
to negate
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
clogged
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
to deny
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
evil
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
not
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
否
pǐ
no, not, un-; final particle
zg, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #8419, Very Hard
fǒu(fou3)fou
primary
T3
1to negate
2clogged
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March 24, 2026
否fǒu(fou3)
The character 否 (fǒu) primarily means 'to negate' or 'no'. It is often used to express denial or to indicate that something is not the case. In various contexts, it can also imply something being obstructed or clogged, and it is a key component in forming negative phrases in Mandarin.
Strokes7Radical口Frequency#8419DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of negation is significant, particularly in discussions of yin and yang, where 否 can represent the absence or denial of a certain quality or state.
Memory tip
Imagine a big red 'NO' sign that is blocking a road, representing the concept of negation. The character 否 has a shape that resembles a barrier, indicating something being blocked or denied, reinforcing its meaning.
Meanings of 否
fǒu(fou3)
primary
1to negate
2clogged
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 否 means.
About 否
否Simplified
7Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#8419Frequency Rank
Podcast: 否
Podcast: 否
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AI study notes for 否
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 否 with other negative words like 不 (bù), which is more general in negation. 否 is often used in more formal contexts, such as in written language or official statements, so it's important to be aware of the register when using it.
HSK Study Tips
Though 否 is not included in the HSK levels, it complements the understanding of negation in Mandarin, which is crucial at beginner levels. Students should focus on its usage in sentences to grasp how it interacts with other verbs and adjectives.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 否 (fǒu) with 不 (bù), leading to incorrect sentences like '我不否认' (Wǒ bù fǒurèn) instead of the correct '我否认' (Wǒ fǒurèn) for 'I deny'. It's essential to use 否 when specifically negating or denying something.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 否
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Example
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Knowing 否 is seven skills, not one.
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否 = 不 + 口. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 否
IDS Structure⿱不口
否Full character
=
不bu4
top
口kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 否?
How to say to negate in Chinese
“to negate” in Chinese is否fǒu
The character 否 (fǒu) primarily means 'to negate' or 'no'. It is often used to express denial or to indicate that something is not the case. In various contexts, it can also imply something being obstructed or clogged, and it is a key component in forming negative phrases in Mandarin.
When to use 否
Common mistakes include confusing 否 with other negative words like 不 (bù), which is more general in negation. 否 is often used in more formal contexts, such as in written language or official statements, so it's important to be aware of the register when using it.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 否 (fǒu) with 不 (bù), leading to incorrect sentences like '我不否认' (Wǒ bù fǒurèn) instead of the correct '我否认' (Wǒ fǒurèn) for 'I deny'. It's essential to use 否 when specifically negating or denying something.
Write 否
否
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Practice writing 否 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 否
否 carries 6 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Their success is conditional, I suggest, on this restriction.
11
你想去吗？是或否？
Nǐ xiǎng qù ma? Shì huò fǒu?
Do you want to go? Yes or no?
12
他是否喜欢这本书？
Tā shì fǒu xǐhuan zhè běn shū?
Does he like this book or not?
13
你是否已经完成作业？
Nǐ shì fǒu yǐjīng wánchéng zuòyè?
Have you finished the homework or not?
14
她是否有空来参加聚会？
Tā shì fǒu yǒu kòng lái cānjiā jùhuì?
Is she free to attend the party or not?
15
你知道他是否会来参加聚会吗？
Nǐ zhīdào tā fǒu huì lái cānjiā jùhuì ma?
Do you know if he will come to the party?
16
这件衣服是否合适？
Zhè jiàn yīfu fǒu héshì?
Is this clothing suitable?
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Cultural Notes for 否
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of negation is often linked to humility. Saying 'no' can be seen as a way to express modesty and avoid overconfidence.
Word Family of 否
Compounds7
痞pǐdyspepsia; spleen infection
嚭pǐ
俖pěi
娝pōu
桮bēi
脴pǐ
踎móu
Words containing this character13
是否shìfǒuif
否则fǒuzéif not否則
能否néngfǒuwhether or not
否认fǒurènto deny否認
否fǒunot
否定fǒudìngto negate
否决fǒujuéto veto否決
可否kěfǒuis it possible or not?
与否yǔfǒuwhether or not (at the end of a phrase)與否
否决权fǒujuéquánveto power否決權
不置可否búzhìkěfǒudecline to comment
矢口否认shǐkǒufǒurènto deny flatly矢口否認
否极泰来pǐjítàiláiextreme sorrow turns to joy (idiom)否極泰來
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 否
What does 痞 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 否
Some synonyms for 否 include 不 (bù), which means 'not', and 没有 (méiyǒu), which means 'do not have'. These words can also convey negation, but 否 is more formal and often used in written Chinese.
否 is less common in everyday conversation compared to its synonyms like 不 (bù). However, it is often seen in formal writing or literature, especially when expressing negation or denial in a more sophisticated manner.
否 (fǒu, pǐ) primarily means 'to negate' or 'to deny'. It can also imply 'not' or indicate something negative. Additionally, it can refer to being clogged or associated with evil in certain contexts.
You can use 否 (fǒu) to negate a statement, such as in '我否认这个说法' (Wǒ fǒurèn zhège shuōfǎ), meaning 'I deny this statement'. It can also be used to express disagreement or to indicate the opposite of something.
You can use 否 in a sentence like '我否认这个说法' (Wǒ fǒurèn zhège shuōfǎ), meaning 'I deny this statement'.
While it can be used in conversation, it's more common in written or formal contexts.
Yes, you can simply say 否 to mean 'no' in response to a question, but it's more formal.
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