分: the kanji for part; minute of time
分 is a Jōyō kanji that means part; minute of time. Below are its readings, 11 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
分 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
分 has 7 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ブン (bun)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 自分じぶん · jibun | oneself |
| 半分はんぶん · hanbun | half |
| 気分きぶん · kibun | mood; feeling |
| 十分じゅうぶん · jūbun | enough |
フン (fun)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 五分ごふん · gofun | five minutes |
| 三分さんぷん · sanpun | three minutes |
ブ (bu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 分厚いぶあつい · buatsui | thick |
わける (wakeru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 分けるわける · wakeru | to divide; to share; to sort |
わかれる (wakareru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 分かれるわかれる · wakareru | to split; to be divided |
わかる (wakaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 分かるわかる · wakaru | to understand |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 分, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 大分県おおいたけん · Ōita-ken | Ōita Prefecture |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 駅まで歩いて五分です。Eki made aruite gofun desu.It's a five-minute walk to the station.
- ケーキを半分に分けましょう。Kēki o hanbun ni wakemashō.Let's split the cake in half.
- 自分でやってみます。Jibun de yatte mimasu.I'll try doing it myself.
- 説明がよく分かりました。Setsumei ga yoku wakarimashita.I understood the explanation well.
- 道が二つに分かれています。Michi ga futatsu ni wakarete imasu.The road splits in two.
Questions about 分
How many strokes does 分 have?
分 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 分?
The on readings are bun (ブン), fun (フン), bu (ブ). The kun readings are wakeru (わける), wakareru (わかれる), wakaru (わかる), wakatsu (わかつ).
What JLPT level is 分?
分 is a Jōyō kanji, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so other study materials may place 分 at a JLPT level.
About the JLPT level
分 is one of the 2,136 kanji in the official Jōyō Kanji Table, but it is not in the N5–N1 kanji lists on this site. The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. Our lists are a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009 and on the levels that several learning sites agree on, so other study materials may place 分 at a JLPT level. See the list of Jōyō kanji outside our JLPT lists.
More Jōyō kanji
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 分
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.