Understanding of not() function in jQuery -

i not understand why still getting element <li class=".item-2"> red background. please take code , provide me tips.

<ul class="level-1">     <li class="item-i">i</li>     <li class="item-ii">ii         <ul class="level-2">             <li class="item-a">a</li>             <li class="item-b">b                 <ul class="level-3">                     <li class="item-1">1</li>                     <li class="item-2">2 .item-2</li>                     <li class="item-3">3</li>                 </ul>             </li>             <li class="item-c">c</li>         </ul>     </li>     <li class="item-iii">iii</li> </ul>  $("li.item-ii").find('li').not($(".item-2")).css("background-color", "red"); 

jsfiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/k3cqs/1/

find('li') matches parent li well, excluding child doesn't matter when parent has red background.

you end this

<ul class="level-1">     <li class="item-i">i</li>     <li class="item-ii">ii         <ul class="level-2">             <li class="item-a" style="background-color: red;">a</li>              <!-- below element red, , parent element -->             <li class="item-b" style="background-color: red;">b                 <ul class="level-3">                     <li class="item-1" style="background-color: red;">1</li>                      <!-- doesn't matter if isn't red -->                     <li class="item-2">2 .item-2</li>                     <li class="item-3" style="background-color: red;">3</li>                 </ul>             </li>             <li class="item-c" style="background-color: red;">c</li>         </ul>     </li>     <li class="item-iii">iii</li> </ul> 

.item-2 transparent, parents background showing.