How to Write 非 (fēi) — Meaning “Non-; not; wrong”

Imagine two birds flying in opposite directions — they disagree, so it means "not" or "wrong." You can also think of the shape as two slanted lines that are "not" parallel, reinforcing the idea of opposition. This visual of conflict helps you connect the look to the meaning.

The character has 8 strokes: write the left half first (a vertical stroke followed by two slightly slanted horizontal strokes), then the right half mirrored. A common mistake is making the strokes too horizontal or forgetting the slant — both halves should lean inward slightly but not touch. Keeping the balance and symmetry is key for correct proportions.

非常 (fēi cháng) means "very" or "extremely" and is used to emphasize adjectives, like 非常高兴 (very happy). 非法 (fēi fǎ) means "illegal" and is used in legal contexts, such as 非法停车 (illegal parking). 是非 (shì fēi) means "right and wrong" or "dispute," often in phrases like 辨别是非 (to tell right from wrong).

非 is a very common negation prefix, similar to "non-" or "un-" in English, and appears in formal and everyday language. In Chinese philosophy, 是非 (right and wrong) is an important concept in debates and ethics. You will also see it in classic texts like the Dao De Jing, where 非常道 means "not the eternal way," showing its deep cultural roots.

Common words containing 非 include: 非常 (fēi cháng) — Very; extremely; highly; 非法 (fēi fǎ) — Illegal; unlawful; 是非 (shì fēi) — Right and wrong / Dispute.