4B

English

Etymology 1

From four Korean words starting with Korean 비(非) (bi, “un-, not”), thus literally translated as "four nos".

Proper noun

4B

  1. A feminist movement originating in South Korea whose tenets are: no sex with men, no giving birth, no dating men, and no marriage with men.
    • 2023 March 8, Anna Louie Sussman, “The women of South Korea's 4B movement aren't fighting the patriarchy — they're leaving it behind entirely.”, in The Cut‎[1], archived from the original on 6 November 2024:
      The blowback and fear that 4B practitioners experience underscores their conviction that Korea is still a frightening place for women.
    • 2024 November 16, Arwa Mahdawi, “Are US women protesting against Trump by ‘swearing off sex with men’?”, in The Guardian‎[2], →ISSN:
      Ever since the election, there have been endless headlines about US women emulating South Korea’s fringe 4B movement[.]

Etymology 2

Noun

4B (plural 4Bs)

  1. (British) A grade of pencil with lead that makes darker marks than a pencil grade 3B but lighter marks than a pencil of grade 5B; a pencil with very soft lead.

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