meroblastic cleavage; partial cleavage
Biology term for incomplete cell division where only part of the egg cytoplasm cleaves; contrasted with 全割 (holoblastic cleavage).
See also: 全割
Fish eggs undergo meroblastic cleavage.
Partial cleavage is seen in eggs with a large amount of yolk.
Compound of 部分 (part, portion) and 割 (divide, split). The term is a direct calque of the English 'partial cleavage' used in embryology.