分 (fèn): part; share

Meanings

1 part; share
2 ingredient; component
3 one's allotted role or duty

Characters

分

fèn

part; share

Examples

HSK 1

这是我的本分。

Zhè shì wǒ de běnfèn.

This is my duty.

HSK 1

你太过分了！

Nǐ tài guòfèn le!

You're going too far!

HSK 6

我们的缘分很深。

Wǒmen de yuánfèn hěn shēn.

Our bond runs deep.

Tips

usage

fèn covers the 'share / portion / lot' senses - what is allotted to someone. It shows up as a bound noun in compounds: 身份 (identity, one's social part), 缘分 (fated bond), 本分 (one's proper role), 安分 (content with one's place), 过分 (beyond one's share - excessive), 部分 (a portion). It rarely stands alone.

memory

Mnemonic: fēn is the verb (to cut up), fèn is the noun (the cut-off piece). Cutting → cut. Same character, same idea, but the falling tone names the chunk you walk away with - your 份 of the cake. The noun 份 is in fact derived from this fèn reading.

Components

radical

刀 dāo

knife

Bottom indexing knife radical. The whole composition: divide (八) + knife (刀) = cut something into pieces with a blade. Hence 分 = to divide, separate, share out. Same compound logic gives 切 (cut), 割 (sever) - all cutting verbs anchor on 刀.

semantic

八 bā

divide (original sense)

Top two strokes - 八 here is NOT the number 'eight' but its original pictographic meaning: two strokes pulling apart, depicting division. The number 'eight' is itself a phonetic loan onto this divide-image. The opening at the top of 分 visually pulls outward, supplying the meaning of separation.