分

fēn

verb HSK 2 #605

Meanings

八 (divide) + 刀 (knife) — cutting something apart

Xiànzài bā diǎn shí fēn.

It's 8:10 now.

Wǒ kǎo le jiǔshí fēn.

I scored 90 points.

Bǎ zhège fēn chéng liǎng bàn.

Divide this in half.

usage

分 has a second pronunciation fèn meaning 'portion/share': 一份 (yī fèn, one serving/copy). But as a time unit or score, it's always fēn.

grammar

分钟 (fēnzhōng) is 'minute' as a duration: 等我五分钟 'wait five minutes.' 分 alone is used for clock time: 八点十分 '8:10.'

分 fēn