匪 (fěi) - Bandit, robber & not, no

匪Tone 3

fěi ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

恩丰

匪 · fěi

Bandit, robber;

not, no;

used in classical Chinese as a negative particle meaning 'not'.

Bandit, robbernot, noused in classical Chinese as a negative particle

Usage highlights

BanditBandit gangBandit's lairNot shallowUnimaginableNot easy

Synonyms

  • 盗— thief, robber
  • 贼— thief, traitor
  • 非— not, negative (in classical usage)

Antonyms

  • 警— police, alert
  • 是— yes, correct

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The police captured the bandits (匪徒).
  • This is by no means easy (匪易).
  • He suffered immense losses (获益匪浅).
  • The meaning is profound (匪夷所思).

Collocations

  • Bandit(土匪)
  • Bandit gang(匪帮)
  • Bandit's lair(匪巢)
  • Not shallow(匪浅)
  • Unimaginable(匪夷所思)
  • Not easy(匪易)

Idioms

  • Unimaginable(匪夷所思)
  • Benefit not shallow(受益匪浅)
  • Bandits of every description(匪匪翼翼)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to a basket-like container, later borrowed to mean 'bandit'.
  • In classical Chinese, used as a negative adverb meaning 'not', similar to 非.
  • Often appears in idioms with classical negative meanings.

FAQ