Negative active material, method of preparing the negative active material, electrode including the negative active material, and lithium battery including the electrode

A negative active material (10) including: a composite (11) including a matrix (11) comprising silicon oxide, silicon carbide, carbon and silicon particles (12) dispersed in the matrix (11); and a carbon coating film (13) formed on a surface of the composite (11), wherein an intensity ratio of a SiC peak to a Si peak in an X-ray diffraction spectrum is at least 1, a method of preparing the negative active material, a negative electrode including the negative active material, and a lithium battery including the electrode.