负
fù
to bear
to carry (on one's back); to turn one's back on; to be defeated; negative (math. etc)
knife (⺈) + shell/money (贝) = bear a burden, be in the negative
A blade pressed over a shell (ancient money) suggests seizing goods by force — carrying off a burden that isn't freely given. From 'bearing a load under threat' came the broader senses of carrying weight, suffering defeat, and being on the minus side.
他不愿意负这么重的责任。
tā bù yuàn yì fù zhème zhòng de zérèn。
He is unwilling to bear such a heavy responsibility.
两个负数相乘，结果是正数。
liǎng gè fù shù xiāng chéng，jiéguǒ shì zhèng shù。
Two negative numbers multiplied together give a positive number.
Words with 负
违恩负义
wéi ēn fù yì
to disobey one's benefactor
重负
zhòng fù
heavy load
电负性
diàn fù xìng
electronegativity
鳌背负山
áo bèi fù shān
debt as heavy as a mountain on a turtle's back
不负
bù fù
to live up to
不分胜负
bù fēn shèng fù
unable to determine victory or defeat (idiom); evenly matched
不负众望
bù fù zhòng wàng
to live up to expectations (idiom)
久负盛名
jiǔ fù shèng míng
seasoned
胜负
shèng fù
victory or defeat
胜负欲
shèng fù yù
desire to win; competitive drive
反裘负刍
fǎn qiú fù chú
lit. to wear one's coat inside out and carry firewood on one's back (idiom)
如释重负
rú shì zhòng fù
as if relieved from a burden (idiom)