充分

• Pinyin: chōng fèn
• Hanzi breakdown: 充 = 亠 + 允 (phonetic), meaning full; 分 = 八 (divide) + 刀 (knife), meaning portion or degree

Meaning

Ample; sufficient; full. Having enough of something to meet needs completely.

Used as both an adjective and adverb. As an adjective, it describes things that are abundant or adequate (充分的准备 = ample preparation). As an adverb, it means fully or thoroughly (充分利用 = make full use of). Common in both formal and everyday contexts.

Examples

1. 做任何事情之前都要有充分的准备。 Before doing anything, you should make ample preparations.
2. 我们应该充分利用每一分钟。 We should make full use of every minute.
3. 他有充分的理由拒绝这个邀请。 He has sufficient reason to decline this invitation.

Usage Guide

Context: professional, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 面试之前要做充分的准备。(Make thorough preparations before a job interview.)
• 请充分考虑所有的可能性。(Please fully consider all possibilities.)

Don't Say

• 今天吃了充分的饭 (Don't use 充分 for food quantity — say 吃饱了; 充分 is for abstract things like preparation, reasons, or time)

Origin & History

充 means full or ample; 分 here means part or degree. Together they describe having a full degree of something — sufficient.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal