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HSK 4

部分

part; portion; section

nounneutral
部
bù4th tone
分
fēn1st tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
bùfen
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 4
Strokes
14
Register
neutral
Measure word
个 / 部分

Stroke order for 部分

部分 is written with 14 strokes (部: 10, 分: 4). The animation replays automatically.

What does 部分 mean?

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

部bùpart; section; department
+
分fēnto divide; portion; part
=
部分

Memory hook: 'Section' (部) that is 'divided off' (分) — a part of the whole.

Example sentences

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

Common phrases with 部分

一部分yí bùfena part; a portion
大部分dà bùfenmost; the majority
一小部分yì xiǎo bùfena small part
组成部分zǔchéng bùfencomponent part
部分人bùfen rénsome people; a portion of people

Synonyms

部门bùmén

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.

分fèn

份 / 分 as fèn can mean a 'portion / share' you divide out (一份工作, 一人一份). 部分 is a conceptual part of a larger thing; fèn is a countable share or serving. Use 部分 for 'a section of the report,' 份 for 'a serving of food.'

Don't confuse 部分 with

部门bùmén

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fēnkāi

分开 means 'to separate / split apart' (a verb). 部分 is a noun, 'a part.' Sharing 分 does not make them interchangeable.

FAQ

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