Radical 一

4 strokes

This is the only other character (apart from 一, Character 1) which changes tone depending on the sound which follows it. It is generally pronounced bù (4th tone), but this changes to bú (2nd tone) when followed by another 4th tone character.

When you write 不 note that the third (vertical) stroke hangs from the second stroke, so 不 is not symmetrical: that is, it is not like the bottom half of 木 (which follows).

/ “It’s not a wheel,” says the dwarf, kicking it angrily with his boot.