no

Original meaning: 

sepal

Pictograph of sepals of a flower. The modern meaning "no" is a phonetic loan.

Evolution

不 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
不 Bronze script Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze script

Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
不 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
不 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
不 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

no, not; un-; negative prefix; (negative prefix); not; no

Most common words with 不
Freq.
Word
Meaning

not

不是

no

不过

only

不要

don't!

不能

cannot

Component uses

Meaning component in 4 characters (1 verified)

Sound component in 5 characters (3 verified)

Simplified component in 4 characters (4 verified)

怀