noun
dividing line; parting; partition
Refers to a physical line or point where something is divided, such as a hair parting, a boundary, or a partition.
髪の分け目を変えたら印象が変わった。
Changing my hair parting changed my look.
この川が二つの県の分け目になっている。
This river serves as the dividing line between the two prefectures.
noun
Figurative use for a critical juncture or turning point where the outcome is decided. Often used in phrases like 勝負の分け目.
この試合の後半が勝負の分け目だ。
The second half of this match will be the decisive moment.
人生の分け目に立っている気がする。
I feel like I'm standing at a crossroads in my life.
Compound of 分け (wake, 'dividing') + 目 (me, 'point' or 'juncture'). The figurative sense of 'crisis' derives from the idea of a dividing point where outcomes diverge.