A negative electrode for a lithium battery includes an active material layer and a current collector. The active material layer has a plurality of crystal grains and the plurality of crystal grains include a plurality of pores. A first pore of the plurality of pores has a first length and a second length, the first length being the maximum length orthogonal to the current collector and the second length being the maximum length orthogonal to the first length, and the first length is greater than the second length.