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道Nihongo Path
非

非·non-, un-, wrong

On-yomi
ヒ
Kun-yomi
none

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

8 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
非常にひじょうにextremely, very
非常口ひじょうぐちemergency exit
是非ぜひby all means, certainly
非常ひじょうemergency, extraordinary

Example sentences

  1. この問題は非常に難しいです。

    このもんだいはひじょうにむずかしいです。

    This problem is extremely difficult.

  2. 非常口の場所を確認してください。

    ひじょうぐちのばしょをかくにんしてください。

    Please check where the emergency exit is.

  3. 是非、うちに遊びに来てください。

    ぜひ、うちにあそびにきてください。

    Do come and visit us.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 非常に as 'in an emergency' — as an adverb it just means 'very'
  • Attaching 非 to native Japanese words; it prefixes Chinese-origin nouns (非公開, 非常識)

Memory aid

Picture it

Two wings turned back to back — facing away from each other means 'not' and 'against'.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 2 of 5

What does the kanji 非 mean?