part; portion; section
HSK level
部分 is written with 14 strokes (部: 10, 分: 4). The animation replays automatically.
部分 (bùfen) is a noun meaning 'part, portion, or section' — one piece of a larger whole.
It appears constantly in the pattern 一部分 (a portion), 大部分 (the majority / most of), and 部分…部分… (part… part…). English speakers should note two things: first, 部分 usually needs a possessor with 的 or a quantifier — 身体的一部分 (a part of the body), not a bare 'part'; second, 大部分 is the everyday way to say 'most (of)': 大部分人 (most people), where English would not use the word 'part' at all.
The second syllable is unstressed, pronounced fen with a neutral tone, not fèn. It contrasts with 全部 (quánbù), 'the whole / all,' its natural opposite.
Note: Neutral; the standard word for 'a part / portion of' a larger whole in both speech and writing. Note the neutral (toneless) second syllable, fen.
Character by character
Memory hook: 'Section' (部) that is 'divided off' (分) — a part of the whole.
这本书我只看了一部分。
Zhè běn shū wǒ zhǐ kàn le yí bùfen.
I've only read part of this book.
spoken
大部分人都同意这个计划。
Dà bùfen rén dōu tóngyì zhège jìhuà.
Most people agree with this plan.
neutral
手是身体的一部分。
Shǒu shì shēntǐ de yí bùfen.
The hand is a part of the body.
neutral
这篇文章的第一部分很重要。
Zhè piān wénzhāng de dì yī bùfen hěn zhòngyào.
The first section of this article is very important.
written
部门 means a 'department / division' of an organization (人事部门 = HR department). 部分 is an abstract 'part of a whole.' Don't use 部分 for a company department; use 部门.
部门 is an organizational department; 部分 is a portion of a whole. Both start with 部, but one is a unit of an institution and the other is an abstract 'part.'
分开 means 'to separate / split apart' (a verb). 部分 is a noun, 'a part.' Sharing 分 does not make them interchangeable.
Acquire it by listening
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