分裂

fēnliè

verb/noun HSK 6 #4,769

Meanings

1 to split up; to divide; to break apart
2 fission; schism; division

Characters

to divide; to separate

to crack; to split

Both characters mean to divide — the doubling intensifies the meaning. Used for serious, often irreversible splits.

Examples

内部矛盾导致了组织的分裂。

Nèibù máodùn dǎozhì le zǔzhī de fēnliè.

Internal conflicts led to the organization's split.

细胞通过分裂来繁殖。

Xìbāo tōngguò fēnliè lái fánzhí.

Cells reproduce through division.

国家不能分裂。

Guójiā bùnéng fēnliè.

The country must not be divided.

Tips

usage

分裂 carries a serious/dramatic tone. It's used for nations splitting, organizations fracturing, or cell division in biology. For casual 'splitting up' (like a bill), use 分 or 分开.

usage

核分裂 (hé fēnliè) = nuclear fission; 人格分裂 (réngé fēnliè) = split personality.

Stroke Order

分 fēn

裂 liè