Dividing and portions with 分 The kanji 分 has the core meanings of divide and part .
It begins with the act of separating something into pieces. From there it grows into portions, categories, ingredients, analysis, and even “one’s share” or “one’s own part.”
Etymology An ideogrammic compound , 分 combines 八 (“to separate”) + 刀 (“knife”), to mean separating something, as with a knife.
Breakdown 分解 (Decomposition)分解( ぶんかい ) means taking something apart or breaking it down into its components.
It combines 分 (divide ) with 解 (separate ) to show separating something into pieces .
老女的少女ひなたちゃん » Volume 2 » Page 120Hinata dedicates the month of December to giving her home a complete cleaning.
ひなた: 「お父さんがちまちま貯( た ) めた新聞( しんぶん ) …」 “The old newspapers Dad's been saving forever...” 「これをぬるま湯( ゆ ) につけてガラスを拭( ふ ) くと油分( ゆぶん ) を分解( ぶんかい ) “Soak them in warm water and wipe the glass, and they cut through the grease and get it sparkling clean.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does Hinata say the soaked newspapers do when used on the glass?
ひなた: 「お父さんがちまちま貯( た ) めた新聞( しんぶん ) …」 「これをぬるま湯( ゆ ) につけてガラスを拭( ふ ) くと油分( ゆぶん ) を分解( ぶんかい ) Clues 油分( ゆぶん ) を分解( ぶんかい ) してthey break down the oily residue ピカピカになるんだ the result is that the glass becomes sparkling clean What does the speaker mean? They break down the grease and leave the glass sparkling. 油分を分解して describes breaking down the grease, and ピカピカになる gives the clean, shiny result. They break the glass into pieces so it can be replaced. The object marked by を is 油分, the grease, not the glass. 分解 acts on the residue. They add an oily coating that protects the glass. Hinata says the grease is broken down and removed, not added as a protective layer. They polish the newspapers until the paper becomes shiny. The newspapers are the cleaning tool. ピカピカになる describes the result on the glass. They dissolve completely when placed in warm water. The newspapers are soaked and then used to wipe the glass. The line does not say the paper dissolves. They prevent Hinata's father from saving more newspapers. Hinata repurposes the newspapers her father saved. She explains their cleaning effect, not a way to stop him collecting them.
Hinata soaks the old newspapers in warm water and uses them to wipe the glass. She says they break down the oily residue, which leaves the glass sparkling clean.
View Full Example Components 成分 (Component)成分( せいぶん ) means the ingredients or components that make up a substance or product.
It combines 成 (form ) with 分 (part ) to show the parts that form something .
名探偵コナン » Volume 14 » Page 15A client tells Detective Mouri about the condition in which she found her deceased husband. Hearing the details, Conan identifies the likely poison, including the composition, the dosage required to kill, and the internal effects it has on a person. When Ran asks how he knows all this, Conan covers by saying the monster villain on the kid’s TV show he watched explained it.
蘭( らん ) :「随分( ずいぶん ) 丁寧( ていねい ) な怪人( かいじん ) ね… 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) 教( おし ) えてくれるなんて…」 “What a polite villain... Going so far as to tell the poison's composition...” コナン: 「そんな怪人( かいじん ) いねーよ…」 “No such monster exists...” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What makes Ran sarcastically call the television villain considerate?
蘭( らん ) :「随分( ずいぶん ) 丁寧( ていねい ) な怪人( かいじん ) ね… 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) 教( おし ) えてくれるなんて…」 コナン: 「そんな怪人( かいじん ) いねーよ…」 Clues 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) までeven the poison's composition 教( おし ) えてくれるなんてto think that he would tell you What does the speaker mean? He supposedly explained even the poison's composition. まで shows that the implausibly detailed explanation went as far as the chemical composition. He warned viewers never to use poison. Ran focuses on the technical information he supposedly provided, not a safety warning. He gave Conan an antidote. No antidote is mentioned. Conan claims the show supplied his knowledge. He politely apologized to every victim. 丁寧( ていねい ) is sarcastic here because of the thorough explanation. He concealed the poison's identity from Conan. The supposed villain did the opposite by explaining its composition. He taught Ran how to make a television program. The information concerns the poison, not producing the show.
Ran mocks Conan’s excuse by imagining a villain helpful enough to explain even the poison’s chemical makeup. Conan’s reply admits that no such villain exists.
View Full Example 油分 (Oil content)油分( ゆぶん ) means the oil or fat contained in something. It can also refer to oily residue on a surface.
It combines 油 (oil ) with 分 (component ) to show the oily component of something .
老女的少女ひなたちゃん » Volume 2 » Page 120Hinata dedicates the month of December to giving her home a complete cleaning.
ひなた: 「お父さんがちまちま貯( た ) めた新聞( しんぶん ) …」 “The old newspapers Dad's been saving forever...” 「これをぬるま湯( ゆ ) につけてガラスを拭( ふ ) くと油分( ゆぶん ) 分解( ぶんかい ) してピカピカになるんだ」 “Soak them in warm water and wipe the glass, and they cut through the grease and get it sparkling clean.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does Hinata say the soaked newspapers do when used on the glass?
ひなた: 「お父さんがちまちま貯( た ) めた新聞( しんぶん ) …」 「これをぬるま湯( ゆ ) につけてガラスを拭( ふ ) くと油分( ゆぶん ) を分解( ぶんかい ) Clues 油分( ゆぶん ) を分解( ぶんかい ) してthey break down the oily residue ピカピカになるんだ the result is that the glass becomes sparkling clean What does the speaker mean? They break down the grease and leave the glass sparkling. 油分を分解して describes breaking down the grease, and ピカピカになる gives the clean, shiny result. They break the glass into pieces so it can be replaced. The object marked by を is 油分, the grease, not the glass. 分解 acts on the residue. They add an oily coating that protects the glass. Hinata says the grease is broken down and removed, not added as a protective layer. They polish the newspapers until the paper becomes shiny. The newspapers are the cleaning tool. ピカピカになる describes the result on the glass. They dissolve completely when placed in warm water. The newspapers are soaked and then used to wipe the glass. The line does not say the paper dissolves. They prevent Hinata's father from saving more newspapers. Hinata repurposes the newspapers her father saved. She explains their cleaning effect, not a way to stop him collecting them.
Hinata soaks the old newspapers in warm water and uses them to wipe the glass. She says they break down the oily residue, which leaves the glass sparkling clean.
View Full Example Degree and Extent 随分 (Awfully)随分( ずいぶん ) describes a degree greater than expected, like “quite” or “very”.
This compound uses 随 (follow ) to give the word its sense of awfully .
名探偵コナン » Volume 14 » Page 15A client tells Detective Mouri about the condition in which she found her deceased husband. Hearing the details, Conan identifies the likely poison, including the composition, the dosage required to kill, and the internal effects it has on a person. When Ran asks how he knows all this, Conan covers by saying the monster villain on the kid’s TV show he watched explained it.
蘭( らん ) :「随分( ずいぶん ) 丁寧( ていねい ) な怪人( かいじん ) ね… 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) まで教( おし ) えてくれるなんて…」 “What a polite villain... Going so far as to tell the poison's composition...” コナン: 「そんな怪人( かいじん ) いねーよ…」 “No such monster exists...” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What makes Ran sarcastically call the television villain considerate?
蘭( らん ) :「随分( ずいぶん ) 丁寧( ていねい ) な怪人( かいじん ) ね… 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) 教( おし ) えてくれるなんて…」 コナン: 「そんな怪人( かいじん ) いねーよ…」 Clues 毒( どく ) の成分( せいぶん ) までeven the poison's composition 教( おし ) えてくれるなんてto think that he would tell you What does the speaker mean? He supposedly explained even the poison's composition. まで shows that the implausibly detailed explanation went as far as the chemical composition. He warned viewers never to use poison. Ran focuses on the technical information he supposedly provided, not a safety warning. He gave Conan an antidote. No antidote is mentioned. Conan claims the show supplied his knowledge. He politely apologized to every victim. 丁寧( ていねい ) is sarcastic here because of the thorough explanation. He concealed the poison's identity from Conan. The supposed villain did the opposite by explaining its composition. He taught Ran how to make a television program. The information concerns the poison, not producing the show.
Ran mocks Conan’s excuse by imagining a villain helpful enough to explain even the poison’s chemical makeup. Conan’s reply admits that no such villain exists.
View Full Example Measures 五分 (Five minutes or fifty percent)五分( ごふん ) means five minutes. With the reading 五分( ごぶ ) , it means five tenths, or half.
It combines 五 (five ) with 分 (part ) to indicate a division into five parts.
カードキャプターさくら » Volume 1 » Page 22At breakfast, Touya teases Sakura for stomping down the stairs like a giant monster. He finishes eating and heads out on his bike to meet his friend Yukito on their way to school. Sakura hurries to eat her breakfast and get her roller blades on, so she can see Yukito, too. When they reach Yukito, he commends Sakura for being up early.
桃矢( とうや ) :「怪獣( かいじゅう ) は五分( ごふん ) 朝飯( あさめし ) 食( く ) えるからな」 “Well, monsters can finish breakfast in five minutes.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does Touya imply by calling Sakura 怪獣?
桃矢( とうや ) :「怪獣( かいじゅう ) 五分( ごふん ) で朝飯( あさめし ) 食( く ) えるからな」 Clues 怪獣( かいじゅう ) giant monster 五分( ごふん ) でin five minutes 朝飯( あさめし ) breakfast, in rough casual speech 食( く ) えるcan eat, the potential form of the rough verb 食( く ) う からな gives the reason with an assertive ending What does the speaker mean? He teases that, as a monster, she can finish breakfast in five minutes. Touya jokingly treats 怪獣( かいじゅう ) as Sakura's identity and uses it to explain why she can eat so quickly. He warns that a monster will steal her breakfast in five minutes. 怪獣( かいじゅう ) is the topic that can eat the breakfast. Nothing in the line says another monster will arrive or steal it. He orders her to wait five minutes before eating. 五分( ごふん ) で marks the time needed to complete the eating. It does not mean to wait for five minutes. He says that monsters eat breakfast every five minutes. Here で marks the span needed to finish an action, not how often the action repeats. He praises her for choosing a healthy breakfast. The line says nothing about what the breakfast contains. The joke is about how quickly the monster can eat it. He admits that he cannot finish his own breakfast. 食( く ) える is affirmative, can eat, and its topic is 怪獣( かいじゅう ) . Touya is teasing Sakura rather than describing himself.
Touya continues his monster joke by making 怪獣( かいじゅう ) the topic. 五分( ごふん ) で says how quickly the meal can be finished.
View Full Example 分 (Share)分( ぶん ) is a share or portion, as in 俺の分, “my share”. It also means one’s place or status.
Example 1 of 2: Amount eaten with 〜分 Example 1 of 2
三ツ星カラーズ » Volume 1 » Page 23Sacchan and her friends are tasked with going around and selling excess bananas from her mother’s fruit shop. They offer a banana to a shop owner, and when he eats it, Sacchan says he needs to pay for it. The owner realizes he fell for their trap, but offers to buy a bunch.
琴葉( ことは ) :「私( わたし ) たちが食( た ) べてる分( ぶん ) 買( か ) うといい」 “You should also buy the amount we're eating.” おやじ: 「まったく。かなわねぇなぁ。わっはっは」 “Good grief, I'm outclassed. Wahahah!” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What extra purchase does Kotoha recommend to the shop owner?
琴葉( ことは ) :「私( わたし ) たちが食( た ) べてる分( ぶん ) 買( か ) うといい」 おやじ: 「まったく。かなわねぇなぁ。わっはっは」 Clues 私( わたし ) たちが食( た ) べてる分( ぶん ) the portion that we are eating も買( か ) うといい it would be good to buy that too What does the speaker mean? The amount of bananas that the girls are eating. 食( た ) べてる分( ぶん ) turns the girls' eating into the portion to be bought, and も adds it to his purchase. Another bunch for the girls to eat later. The portion is defined by what they are eating now, not a separate future bunch. Only the banana that the shop owner already ate. も adds the girls' portion beyond the banana he already owes for. Every banana left at Sacchan's mother's shop. 分( ぶん ) limits the suggestion to the amount the girls are eating. A meal for the girls instead of bananas. The conversation stays on the bananas being eaten. No other meal is mentioned. The right to sell bananas at his own shop. 買( か ) う is buying a quantity, not purchasing sales rights.
Kotoha tells the owner that he should buy the portion the girls are eating too. 分( ぶん ) packages their current eating as an amount that can be added to his purchase.
View Full Example Example 2 of 2: Wave for me with 〜てくれる Example 2 of 2
よつばと！ » Volume 1 » Page 8Yotsuba and her father are driving to their new home. As they pass a school letting out, Yotsuba waves to a student. When the student waves back, Yotsuba tells her father to wave too.
よつば: 「おねーちゃんが手( て ) ぇふった！ とーちゃんもふれ！」 “The girl waved! Daddy, you wave too!” 父( とう ) さん:「とーちゃん手( て ) がはなせないからな俺( おれ ) の分( ぶん ) “Dad's hands are full, so Yotsuba, please wave for me too.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
Why does Yotsuba's father ask her to wave for him?
よつば: 「おねーちゃんが手( て ) ぇふった！ とーちゃんもふれ！」 父( とう ) さん:「とーちゃん手( て ) がはなせないからな俺( おれ ) の分( ぶん ) もよつばがふっ てくれ 」 Clues とーちゃん手( て ) がはなせないからな he cannot take his hands away from what he is doing 俺( おれ ) の分( ぶん ) もよつばがふってくれhe asks Yotsuba to give his share of the wave too What does the speaker mean? He cannot take his hands off the steering wheel. 手( て ) がはなせない gives the reason, and 俺( おれ ) の分( ぶん ) も asks Yotsuba to wave on his behalf. He does not know how to wave politely. The problem is that his hands are occupied, not that he lacks the skill or manners to wave. The student waved only to Yotsuba. Dad still wants to return the greeting. He asks Yotsuba to include a wave for him because he cannot do it himself. He wants Yotsuba to stop waving and hold the wheel. Dad keeps control of the vehicle and asks Yotsuba to handle the wave, not the steering. His hands are cold and trembling. 手( て ) がはなせない means he cannot let go or take his hands away. It does not describe temperature or shaking. He wants two students to wave back at once. 俺( おれ ) の分( ぶん ) means Dad's share of the greeting, not a request aimed at another student.
Yotsuba’s father is driving and cannot take his hands off the steering wheel. He therefore asks Yotsuba to wave once for herself and also give the wave he would have given.
View Full Example Personal Identity 自分 (Oneself)自分( じぶん ) is oneself. It refers back to the person doing the action, and some speakers use it to mean “I”.
It combines 自 (self ) with 分 (part ) to show one's own part .
Example 1 of 3: Being strict with oneself and one's student with 心を鬼にする Example 1 of 3
名探偵コナン » Volume 16 » Page 91Conan’s classmates aren’t fond of their new teacher’s strict attitude. Ms. Kobayashi explains how at her last school, she couldn’t bring herself to be strict, and it allowed her students to get so out of control that students were injured in a fight.
小林( こばやし ) :「だから、この学校( がっこう ) では二度( にど ) とあんな事( こと ) は繰( く ) り返( かえ ) すまいと…」 “Therefore, to keep from repeating that kind of situation at this school...” 「心( こころ ) を鬼( おに ) にして自分( じぶん ) 生徒( せいと ) にも厳( きび ) しくしてきたの…」 “I hardened my heart and became strict, with myself and with my students...” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
How did Ms. Kobayashi respond to the trouble at her previous school?
小林( こばやし ) :「だから、この学校( がっこう ) では二度( にど ) とあんな事( こと ) は繰( く ) り返( かえ ) すまいと…」 「心( こころ ) を鬼( おに ) にして自分( じぶん ) にも生徒( せいと ) にも厳( きび ) しくしてきたの…」 Clues 心( こころ ) を鬼( おに ) にしてhardening her heart 自分( じぶん ) にも生徒( せいと ) にも厳( きび ) しくしてきたshe has been strict with herself and her students What does the speaker mean? She made herself strict with both herself and her students. 心( こころ ) を鬼( おに ) にして explains the resolve behind her continuing strictness. She decided never to teach children again. She remained a teacher and changed how strictly she managed the class. She became strict only with the injured students. 自分( じぶん ) にも生徒( せいと ) にも includes herself and all her students. She asked another teacher to discipline the class. The line describes the stance she herself has maintained. She tried to forget what had happened. Her goal is to avoid repeating the incident, so she acts on the lesson she learned. She allowed the students to set their own rules. Her response was greater strictness, not less supervision.
Determined not to repeat the earlier incident, Ms. Kobayashi hardened her heart and became strict with herself as well as her students.
View Full Example Example 2 of 3: Taking too much caffeine with 〜すぎる Example 2 of 3
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 55Thinking Syaro doesn’t like the taste of coffee, Cocoa suggests adding sugar and milk. Syaro says the bitterness isn’t the issue.
シャロ: 「カフェインを摂( と ) りすぎると異常( いじょう ) なテンションになるみたいなの」 “It seems if I consume too much caffeine, I get abnormally hyper.” 「自分( じぶん ) 分( わ ) からないんだけど」 “I can't really tell myself, though.” ◯: 「コーヒー酔( よ ) い!?」 “Drunk on coffee!?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does シャロ mean in the highlighted line?
シャロ: 「カフェインを摂( と ) りすぎる と異常( いじょう ) なテンションになるみたいなの」 「自分( じぶん ) じゃよく分( わ ) からないんだけど」 ◯: 「コーヒー酔( よ ) い!?」 Clues 摂( と ) りすぎる摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amountWhat does the speaker mean? It seems if I consume too much caffeine, I get abnormally hyper. 摂( と ) る changes to the stem 摂( と ) り before すぎる, and caffeine is the thing taken in. Syaro says coffee bitterness is what makes her hyper. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Syaro says too much caffeine always makes her sleepy. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Syaro says caffeine has no effect on her and she can tell immediately. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese.
摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount. 摂( と ) る changes to the stem 摂( と ) り before すぎる, and caffeine is the thing taken in.
View Full Example Example 3 of 3: Feeling a bit better with 気が晴れる Example 3 of 3
アオハライド » Volume 5 » Page 168Futaba had been feeling the weight of uncertainty of her standing with Kou. A general discussion about boys and relationships with her friend Kikuchi clears up her feelings.
双葉( ふたば ) :「なんか自分( じぶん ) 言( い ) ってもらえた気( き ) がして」 “It kind of felt like you were telling me I'm not hopeless.” 「少( すこ ) し気( き ) が晴( は ) れたかも」 “I may be feeling a bit better.” 「ありがとね」 “Thanks.” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What effect did the conversation have on Futaba?
双葉( ふたば ) :「なんか自分( じぶん ) はダメじゃないって言( い ) ってもらえた気( き ) がして」 「少( すこ ) し気( き ) が晴( は ) れた 「ありがとね」 Clues 自分( じぶん ) はダメじゃないって言( い ) ってもらえた気( き ) がしてshe felt as though she had been told that she was not hopeless 少( すこ ) し気( き ) が晴( は ) れたかもmaybe her feelings cleared up a little What does the speaker mean? It reassured her and made her feel a little better. Futaba feels she was told she is not hopeless, and 気( き ) が晴( は ) れた describes some of her emotional heaviness lifting. It convinced her that her worries about Kou were completely resolved. 少( すこ ) し and かも make the improvement modest and tentative. Futaba does not claim that every worry is gone. It made her think that something was wrong with her. ダメじゃない is negative, so Futaba feels reassured that she is not hopeless. It persuaded her to stop talking about relationships. Futaba describes relief from the conversation. She does not say she will avoid the subject. It made her feel worse because her friend criticized her. 言( い ) ってもらえた presents the remark as something Futaba benefited from, and she follows it by saying she feels better. It gave her confidence that Kou had confessed his feelings. Her friend reassures Futaba about herself. The line does not say that Kou confessed anything.
The conversation makes Futaba feel that she is not hopeless, which lifts some of the weight she has been carrying. 少( すこ ) し and かも show that the relief is real but limited.
View Full Example Understanding 分かる (To understand)分( わ ) かる is to understand something, or for something to become known or clear.
ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 55Thinking Syaro doesn’t like the taste of coffee, Cocoa suggests adding sugar and milk. Syaro says the bitterness isn’t the issue.
シャロ: 「カフェインを摂( と ) りすぎると異常( いじょう ) なテンションになるみたいなの」 “It seems if I consume too much caffeine, I get abnormally hyper.” 「自分( じぶん ) じゃよく分( わ ) からないんだけど」 “I can't really tell myself, though.” ◯: 「コーヒー酔( よ ) い!?」 “Drunk on coffee!?” Challenge Yourself Show translation
Challenge
What does シャロ mean in the highlighted line?
シャロ: 「カフェインを摂( と ) りすぎる と異常( いじょう ) なテンションになるみたいなの」 「自分( じぶん ) じゃよく分( わ ) からないんだけど」 ◯: 「コーヒー酔( よ ) い!?」 Clues 摂( と ) りすぎる摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amountWhat does the speaker mean? It seems if I consume too much caffeine, I get abnormally hyper. 摂( と ) る changes to the stem 摂( と ) り before すぎる, and caffeine is the thing taken in. Syaro says coffee bitterness is what makes her hyper. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Syaro says too much caffeine always makes her sleepy. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese. Syaro says caffeine has no effect on her and she can tell immediately. The highlighted form is 摂( と ) りすぎる. Here 摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount, so this choice does not match the Japanese.
摂( と ) りすぎる means consuming an excessive amount. 摂( と ) る changes to the stem 摂( と ) り before すぎる, and caffeine is the thing taken in.
View Full Example 
