The kanji 負 (fu) primarily conveys the ideas of "to lose," "to be defeated," "to owe," and "to bear/carry." It suggests a state of disadvantage, whether in a competition, financially, or in a sense of responsibility. It encompasses both the act of losing and the consequence of being in a losing position.

・On-yomi (音読み): フ(fu) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): ま（ける）(ma(keru)) - to lose; お（う）(o(u)) - to bear, to owe

⚫︎ 試合に負けた。 Translation: I lost the match. ⚫︎ 責任を負う。 Translation: To take responsibility; to bear responsibility. ⚫︎ 借金を負う。 Translation: To be in debt; to owe money.

The kanji 負 is a pictograph. It depicts a person on their back with an object on the person. Originally, it showed a person人 with something placed on the person's back, representing "to carry" or "to bear." The later addition of 贝, the component for currency, further extended the meaning to include "owe" or being in debt. This illustrates how the character evolved to encompass various senses related to burdens and disadvantages.