지

Sets up a following negative

This is the shape a verb takes when a negative word is about to follow it: the word for "not" for a plain denial ("I don't care", "even without saying it"), or the word for "don't" when telling someone not to do something. It is the longer, more deliberate way to negate, and it is the only option in a command. Contracted forms hide it, including the very common tag that means "you know, right?". Keep it apart from the sentence ending 지/죠, which asks the listener to agree.