How to say "negative" in Japanese

• ネガティブCommon
  na-adjectiveCovers the psychological sense: negative thinking, a negative attitude, a negative person — pessimistic, dwelling on the bad side. This is the word for 'negative' said of people, moods, and opinions.
• 負ふCommon
  no-adjectiveThe mathematical sense: negative numbers and quantities, the minus side of zero. Not the word for a negative attitude or a negative test result.
  あ、あれ？なんか・・・すっごい負ふのオーラを感かんじますよ？↗

  E-eh? I somehow seem to feel a very threatening aura...
• 陰性いんせいCommon
  no-adjectiveUsed for a negative result, especially on a medical test: the test came back negative. It belongs to results and diagnoses, not to personalities or numbers.
  ツベルクリン反応はんのうは陰性いんせいでした。↗

  The result of the tuberculin test was negative.
• 消極しょうきょくCommon
  prenominal modifierFor 'negative' meaning pessimistic, this is seldom the word you want: it really means 'passive' or 'conservative' — holding back rather than seeing the bad side. It rarely stands alone.
• ネガJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounAn abbreviation for the photographic negative: developed film in which light and dark are reversed. It is not used for negative attitudes, numbers, or test results.

Choose 「ネガティブ」 for negative thinking and attitudes, 負 for negative numbers, 陰性 for negative test results, 消極 when 'negative' really means passive, and 「ネガ」 for photographic negatives.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ネガティブnegative (e.g. thinking)
• 負ふnegative
• 陰性いんせいnegative (result)
• 消極しょうきょくpassive
• ネガnegative
• 消極的しょうきょくてきnegative
• 打ち消しうちけしnegation
• 批判的ひはんてきcritical
• 陰いん(the) negative (e.g. pole)
• 原板げんぱんnegative (of a picture)
• 陰画いんがnegative
• 否定的ひていてきnegative
• ネガフィルムnegative film (as opposed to positive or reversal film)
• 種板たねいた(photographic) negative
• マイナスnegative (number)
• 後ろ向きうしろむきbackward-looking