HSK · Level 36
120 words
Chinese word
负
Pronunciation
Pinyinfù
Meaning
- verbbear
Example
这件事的责任由他来负。zhè jiàn shì de zé rèn yóu tā lái fù
He bears responsibility for this matter.
More examples
合同上写明，承包方应对工程质量负最终责任。hé tóng shàng xiě míng chéng bāo fāng yìng duì gōng chéng zhì liàng fù zuì zhōng zé rèn
The contract states that the contractor bears final responsibility for the quality of the project.
Core concept
It places something on the burden side rather than the gain side: a person carries an obligation, a value falls below zero, or a contest goes against a side.
Common phrases
负责任fù zé rèn
bear responsibility
负债fù zhài
be in debt
负担fù dān
bear the burden
Similar words
承担chéng dān: Taking on a responsibility, payment, or piece of work.
负担fù dān: Carrying the burden of an expense or the effort something requires.
背负bēi fù: Shouldering a weighty responsibility or duty in thought or action.
承受chéng shòu: Bearing pressure, injury, or pain that comes from outside.
Definition in Chinese
承担或背负责任、义务、损失等，也可表示数量上的负值或在对比中处于不利（输）的情况。chéng dān huò bēi fù zé rèn yì wù sǔn shī děng yě kě biǎo shì shù liàng shàng de fù zhí huò zài duì bǐ zhōng chǔ yú bú lì shū de qíng kuàng
Word origin
The character 负 (fù, "to carry") preserves the old idea of carrying valuables on the back, which makes its extensions to responsibility, loss, and disadvantage easy to connect.
Usage tips
- In everyday Chinese, this verb is more likely to occur in formal or fixed wording than as a casual standalone choice, an important register cue when reading or listening.
Other meanings
- negativeadjective
- loseverb
Opposites
- 免除miǎn chúexemptverb
- 推卸tuī xièshirkverb