noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'
Used in mathematics, science, and formal contexts to describe negative numbers, values, or results. Often paired with 正 (positive).
See also: 正 (せい)
負の数はゼロより小さい。
Negative numbers are less than zero.
この実験では負の結果が出た。
This experiment produced a negative result.
正 means positive or plus, the opposite of 負 in mathematical and formal contexts.
The kanji 負 originally means 'to bear' or 'to lose', and its use for 'negative' in mathematics is a semantic extension from the idea of a deficit or loss.