非 meaning and stroke order
To not be; not; wrong; incorrect; non-; un-; in-; de-
How to write 非, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 非
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to not be; not
- wrong; incorrect
- non-; un-; in-; de-
- to reproach; to blame
- (coll.) to insist on; simply must
How 非 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two bird's wings opposed; two people back-to-back.
How to remember 非
Picture 非 (fēi) as two wings or two people standing back to back, facing opposite ways. Things that turn away from each other do not agree, so the shape means "not" or "wrong".
In everyday speech 非 appears most in 非常 (fēicháng, very), and it works like the prefix "non-" or "un-" in words such as 非法 (fēifǎ, illegal). In spoken Chinese 非 can also mean "insist on", often in the pattern 非...不可. Example: 他非要去不可。(Tā fēi yào qù bùkě.) He simply insists on going.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 非 with 韭 (jiǔ, chives), which adds a horizontal line at the bottom, or with 悲 (bēi, sad), which has 心 underneath. Also remember that in 非得 the 得 is read děi, not dé.
Common words with 非
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 非常 | fēicháng | very; really; unusual; extraordinary | HSK 1 |
| 除非 | chúfēi | only if (..., or otherwise, ...); only when | HSK 5 |
| 并非 | bìngfēi | really isn't | HSK 7-9 |
| 非法 | fēifǎ | illegal | HSK 7-9 |
| 非得 | fēiděi | (followed by a verb phrase, then – optionally – 不可, or 不行 etc) must | HSK 7-9 |
| 非凡 | fēifán | out of the ordinary; unusually (good, talented etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 莫非 | mòfēi | can it be possible that; could it be | HSK 7-9 |
| 是非 | shìfēi | right and wrong; quarrel; dispute | HSK 7-9 |
| 无非 | wúfēi | only; nothing else | HSK 7-9 |
| 面目全非 | miànmù-quánfēi | nothing remains the same (idiom); change beyond recognition | HSK 7-9 |
| 非金属 | fēijīnshǔ | nonmetal (chemistry) | HSK 7-9 |
| 似是而非 | sìshì-érfēi | apparently right but actually wrong; specious (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 无可厚非 | wúkěhòufēi | see 未可厚非[wei4 ke3 hou4 fei1] | HSK 7-9 |
| 非常感谢 | fēichánggǎnxiè | extremely grateful; very thankful |
非 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 非
Learning 非 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 非
How many strokes are in 非?
非 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 非 mean?
非 (fēi) means to not be; not; wrong; incorrect; non-; un-; in-; de-. A common word with it is 非常 (fēicháng), meaning "very; really; unusual; extraordinary".
How do you pronounce 非?
非 is pronounced fēi, in the first tone (high and level).
Is 非 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 非 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 非 and 不?
不 (bù) is the everyday word for "not" before verbs and adjectives, as in 不好 (bù hǎo). 非 is more formal or works as a prefix, like 非正式 (fēi zhèngshì, informal). You rarely use 非 alone to negate a simple verb in casual speech.
How does 除非 work in a sentence?
除非 (chúfēi) means "only if" or "unless" and usually pairs with 才 or 否则. For example, 除非你去，我才去。(Chúfēi nǐ qù, wǒ cái qù.) I will only go if you go.