分之
(fraction marker)
HSK level
- Pinyin
- fēnzhī
- Part of speech
- particle
- Level
- HSK 4
- Strokes
- 7
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 分之
分之 is written with 7 strokes (分: 4, 之: 3). The animation replays automatically.
What does 分之 mean?
分之 (fēnzhī) is not a standalone word but a fraction-forming construction in Chinese, used in the pattern 'X分之Y' to express the fraction Y/X.
Crucially, the order is reversed from English: the denominator comes first, then 分之, then the numerator — so 'three quarters' (3/4) is 四分之三 (sì fēn zhī sān, literally 'four-parts-of three'). Percentages use the same logic with 百 as the denominator: 百分之五十 = fifty out of a hundred = 50%. 分 here means 'part / divide' and 之 is the classical possessive/connective particle linking the whole to its part.
English speakers most often trip on the reversed order — always read the number before 分之 as the bottom of the fraction. This construction is essential for percentages, statistics, and any spoken or written math in Chinese.
Character by character
Memory hook: 分 (divide into parts) + 之 (of): 'four 分之 three' = 'of four parts, three' = 3/4. Read the denominator first.
Example sentences
班里三分之一的学生是女生。
Bān lǐ sān fēn zhī yī de xuéshēng shì nǚshēng.
One third of the students in the class are girls.
neutral
这次考试百分之九十的人都通过了。
Zhè cì kǎoshì bǎi fēn zhī jiǔshí de rén dōu tōngguò le.
Ninety percent of people passed this exam.
neutral
我百分之百相信你。
Wǒ bǎi fēn zhī bǎi xiāngxìn nǐ.
I believe you one hundred percent.
spoken
公司的利润下降了百分之十。
Gōngsī de lìrùn xiàjiàng le bǎi fēn zhī shí.
The company's profit fell by ten percent.
written
Common phrases with 分之
Don't confuse 分之 with
百分 by itself means 'a hundred marks / percentage points' but the percent construction always needs 分之: 百分之X. Don't drop the 之 — 百分五十 is incorrect for 50%.
FAQ
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