不
不·not, un-
- On-yomi
- フブ
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 不便 | ふべん | inconvenient |
| 不安 | ふあん | uneasy, anxious |
| 不足 | ふそく | shortage |
| 不思議 | ふしぎ | strange, mysterious |
Example sentences
駅から遠くて不便です。
えきからとおくてふべんです。
It's far from the station, so it's inconvenient.
試験の前はいつも不安になります。
しけんのまえはいつもふあんになります。
I always get anxious before an exam.
最近野菜が不足しているそうです。
さいきんやさいがふそくしているそうです。
Apparently there's been a shortage of vegetables lately.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 不安 as *ぶあん — in most everyday words 不 is フ.
- Attaching 不 to any adjective — it only prefixes certain nouns; 不高い is not a word.
Memory aid
Picture it
A bird flying up and hitting a ceiling line — it cannot get through: not, un-.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 不 mean?