Meaning
to divide; minute; (a measure word); (a unit of length = 0.33 centimeter); part
Chinese: 分开、部分或分数。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “fen” becomes a different word in each tone. 分 is the 1st tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 分钟fēn zhōngminute
- 部分bù fenpart; portion; piece; Taiwan pr.
- 十分shí fēnvery; completely; utterly; extremely
- 大部分dà bù fenthe greater part; the majority; most; Taiwan pr.
- 分开fēn kāito separate; to part
Example Sentence
请把蛋糕分成六块。Qǐng bǎ dàn gāo fēn chéng liù kuài.Please divide the cake into six pieces.
请Qǐngto ask把bǎ(marks the object)蛋糕dàn gāocake分成fēn chéngto divide (into)六liùsix块kuàilump。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
The dividing sign 八 (to split) over a knife (刀): cut apart — ‘to divide, separate; a part, minute, fraction’ (fēn); a portion or duty (fèn).
A way to remember it
A knife (刀) under the split-sign 八 — to divide.
Easy to confuse with
- 今‘Now’: a similar 人-like top, but with 一/丶 below, not 刀.