分
to divide; to separate; to distribute; to allocate; to distinguish (good and bad); (bound form) branch of (an organization); sub- (as in 分局[fen1 ju2]); fraction; one tenth (of certain units); unit of length equivalent to 0.33 cm; minute (unit of time); minute (angular measurement unit); a point (in sports or games); 0.01 yuan (unit of money); part; share; ingredient; component
Closest English meanings
divide·separate·part
The Calligrapher — Zhào Mèngfǔ 赵孟頫
Yuan master whose elegant regular and running script revived classical tradition.
Yuan calligrapher (1254–1322), master of regular script/running script/cursive script — Yuan reviver of classical elegance who could write any script beautifully and did. Yuan dynasty
Cultural Story
分 splits one thing into parts. In the 隆中对 Zhuge Liang read the map and foresaw the realm 三分天下, divided among Cao, Sun, and Liu. The character sets a knife over a unit, cutting it asunder. From rations to kingdoms, 分 marks the moment a whole becomes shares, and someone must decide how the pieces fall.
Common words & phrases
- 分别 separate · part · respectively
- 分手 part · break up · split
- 分钟 minute
- 分配 distribute · allocate · assign
- 分析 analyze · analysis
Read the story behind the character
The clock ticks another 分钟 while the manager 分配 tasks before stand-up. A couple 分手 at the station, suitcases in hand. The app 分析 the receipt and shows who owes what. The word runs through the day's small arithmetic of time, money, and people pulled apart or portioned out.
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Purchase delivers the original SVG of this glyph, brushed by Zhào Mèngfǔ 赵孟頫, ready to place on skin, paper, or screen.