分
part, minute of time, segment, share, degree, one's lot, duty, understand, know, rate, 1%, chances, shaku/100
Readings
On'yomi
- ブン
- フン
- ブ
Kun'yomi
- わ.ける
- わ.け
- わ.かれる
- わ.かる
- わ.かつ
Nanori
- いた
- わけ
Meaning
分 centers on dividing a whole into smaller pieces: a part, a share, or a segment. This idea extends naturally to measuring divisions like minutes, degrees, percentages, and rates, as well as the mental act of distinguishing or understanding something by breaking it down.
Most common words using 分
24 of 1,519- 自分じぶんN5
myself; yourself; oneself; himself; herself
- 分かるわかるN5
to understand; to comprehend; to grasp; to see; to get; to follow
- 分ぶんN2
part; portion; share
- 分ふんN1
minute (unit of time)
- 部分ぶぶんN3
portion; section; part
- 多分たぶんN5
probably; likely; perhaps; maybe
- 気分きぶんN4
feeling; mood
- 半分はんぶんN5
half
- 分けるわけるN4
to divide (into); to split (into); to part; to separate; to divide up; to classify; to sort out; to divide out
- 分析ぶんせきN3
analysis
- 処分しょぶんN2
disposal; throwing away; selling off
- 分野ぶんやN3
field; sphere; realm; division; branch
- 大分だいぶN4
considerably; greatly; a lot
- 分かれるわかれるN2
to branch; to fork; to diverge
- 成分せいぶんN2
ingredient; component; composition
- 分類ぶんるいN2
classification; categorization; sorting
- 分離ぶんりN1
separation; partition; detachment; segregation; isolation
- 分解ぶんかいN2
disassembly; dismantling; disaggregating; taking apart; breaking up; analysis; parsing
- 十分じゅうぶんN4
enough; sufficient; plenty; adequate; satisfactory
- 分間ふんかん
minutes (period of)
- 分割ぶんかつN1
partition; division; separation; segmenting; splitting
- 水分すいぶんN3
water; liquid; fluid; moisture; humidity; sap; juice
- 身分みぶんN2
(social) standing; status; position; rank
- 随分ずいぶんN4
very; extremely; surprisingly; fairly; quite; considerably; awfully; terribly
Study
Etymology
分 combines 八 (to divide) and 刀 (knife), depicting a knife separating something into parts. This origin directly supports the core idea of division.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a knife 刀 cutting something into two halves 八: the result is a part, a share, or a segment. When you divide something clearly, you also understand it.
Reading mnemonic
For ブン, imagine dividing a bun into equal shares: bun -> ブン, and the knife cuts the bun into parts.