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Breaking the Kanji from down 安否 into their constituent meanings:

  * **安:** content, peaceful, quiet
  * **否:** negate

**Question:** Why would combining (e.g.) "peaceful" with "negate" result in a
meaning of "safety", when it seems like it could be ascribed the opposite
meaning? Is there some etymological reason for this that might make it easier
to remember?
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2022-10-30T00:09:53.823
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2022-11-29T20:55:05.223
2022-10-30T00:19:00.557
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question
kanji etymology
Why does 安否 ("peaceful" + "negate") combine to mean "safety"?
It is more like _or not_. The following dictionary entry explicitly gives the
usage:

> [否](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/kanji/%E5%90%A6/#jn-182283)
>
> ２ …か…でないか。「安否・可否・合否・採否・賛否・実否・真否・正否・成否・存否・諾否・適否・当否・認否・能否・良否」

安否=safe or not, 可否=possible or not, 合否=(about exams) passed or not, etc.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-30T00:21:56.527
96918
2022-10-30T00:21:56.527
45489
96917
answer