godan verb (-tsu)
cut up; cut into pieces
Archaic or literary verb; in modern Japanese, 切り分ける (きりわける) is the standard equivalent. This form may appear in older texts or stylized writing.
古い文献では、肉を切り分かつと記されている。
In old documents, it is written as 'cut up the meat'.
Modern standard equivalent; used in everyday language for cutting something into portions or pieces.
Compound of 切り (kiri, continuative form of 切る 'cut') + 分かつ (wakatsu, archaic verb meaning 'divide' or 'separate'). The modern form 切り分ける replaces 分かつ with 分ける (wakeru).