Meaning
non-; not-; un-
Chinese: 不是、错误，也表示非同一般。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “fei” becomes a different word in each tone. 非 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 非常fēi chángvery; really; unusual; extraordinary
- 除非chú fēionly if (..., or otherwise, ...); only when; only in the case that; unless
- 并非bìng fēireally isn't
- 非法fēi fǎillegal
- 是非shì fēiright and wrong; quarrel
Example Sentence
这件事非常重要。Zhè jiàn shì fēi cháng zhòng yào.This matter is very important.
这Zhèthis件jiànitem事shìmatter非常fēi chángvery重要zhòng yàoimportant。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A pictograph of two wings spread back to back, facing away: opposed — ‘wrong, incorrect; not, non-, un-; to blame; must (非…不可); short for 非洲 (Africa)’ (非常, 是非, 除非).
A way to remember it
Wings facing apart — opposed: ‘not, wrong’; also 非常 (very).