分ぶん岐き点てん

ぶ

ん

き

て

ん

Common word

Meanings

1

noun

fork; junction; diverging point

Physical point where a road, path, river, or route splits into two or more branches.

この道みちの分ぶん岐き点てんを右みぎに曲まがって

ください

。

Turn right at the fork in this road.

川かわの分ぶん岐き点てんで、流ながれが二ふたつに分わかれている。

At the river's diverging point, the current splits into two.

2

noun

turning point; crossroads

Metaphorical use for a decisive moment in life, career, or history where a choice determines the future direction.

大だい学がく進しん学がくは人じん生せいの大おおきな分ぶん岐き点てんだった。
Going to university was a major turning point in my life.
その事じ件けんは会かい社しゃの歴れき史しの分ぶん岐き点てんとなった。
That incident became a crossroads in the company's history.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉の分ぶん岐き点てんになるto become a turning point for something
その決けつ断だんが彼かれの人じん生せいの分ぶん岐き点てんになった。
That decision became a turning point in his life.
〈場ば所しょ〉の分ぶん岐き点てんを過すぎるto pass a fork or junction (of a road, path, etc.)
山やま道みちの分ぶん岐き点てんを過すぎると、景色けしきが変かわった。
After passing the fork in the mountain path, the scenery changed.
分ぶん岐き点てんに立たつto stand at a crossroads (facing an important choice)
会かい社しゃは今いま、大おおきな分ぶん岐き点てんに立たっている。
The company is now standing at a major crossroads.
分ぶん岐き点てんを迎むかえるto reach a turning point
研けん究きゅうはいよいよ分ぶん岐き点てんを迎むかえた。
The research finally reached a turning point.

Kanji

分part, minute of time, segment
岐branch off, fork in road, scene
点spot, point, mark

Related words· 9

岐き路ろ sense 2
岐路 is a more literary word for a fork or crossroads, often used metaphorically, while 分岐点 is neutral and works equally well for physical and figurative junctions.
分わかれ道みち sense 1
分かれ道 is a colloquial term emphasizing the physical spot where a road splits, whereas 分岐点 is slightly more formal and also used in technical or abstract contexts.
転てん換かん点てん sense 2
転換点 focuses on a shift or change of direction in a situation, while 分岐点 keeps the image of a branching path even when used metaphorically.
節ふし目め sense 2
節目 refers to a milestone marking a natural stage or phase, whereas 分岐点 stresses a moment where a choice determines a different future path.

Show 5 more

転てん機き
分岐点 is literally a branching point or fork (often used figuratively too), while 転機 is specifically the decisive moment when a situation or life changes direction.
曲まがり角かどN1
分岐点 describes a point where paths or courses of action split into different directions, while 曲がり角 stresses a single bend or shift rather than a branching.
分わかれ目め
分岐点 is a more technical term for a literal branching point like a road or railway, while 分かれ目 works for both literal and figurative divisions with a slightly more literary feel.
ジャンクション
分岐点 is a more general term for any point where a road or path splits, while ジャンクション is specifically used for large highway interchanges.

Word family

損そん益えき分ぶん岐き点てん
break-even point

Built from

分ぶん岐き+点てん

Etymology

Compound of 分岐 (branching, divergence) and 点 (point). The word is a straightforward Sino-Japanese formation; the exact historical derivation is uncertain beyond the combination of these elements.

正しょう念ねん場ば

分岐点 is a neutral turning point or fork in the road, while 正念場 specifically marks a high-stakes moment that will determine success or failure.