～分

• Reading: ぶん
• Romaji: bun
• Formation: Noun + 分 / Number + Counter + 分 / Verb (plain past) + 分
• Kanji breakdown: 分: 八 (eight/divide) + 刀 (knife) — cutting into portions, hence a share or amount

Meaning

A suffix indicating the amount, portion, or share of something. It attaches to nouns and quantities to express 'enough for,' 'the amount of,' or 'the portion corresponding to.'

The suffix 分 (ぶん) is used to indicate a quantity, share, or extent corresponding to something. It can express the amount needed for a purpose, the portion belonging to someone, or additional quantity beyond a base. It is distinct from 分 read as ふん (minutes) or ぶん in different contexts like 気分 (feeling). This suffix is extremely productive and natural in everyday Japanese. It combines readily with numbers, nouns, and even some verb phrases. Learners sometimes confuse ぶん (amount/share) with other readings of 分 or fail to recognize that it can follow abstract concepts as well as concrete quantities.

Examples

1. 三人分のお弁当を買ってきてください。 Please buy boxed lunches for three people.
2. 遅刻した分だけ残って仕事をした。 I stayed and worked just enough to make up for being late.
3. 材料は五人分用意してあります。 Ingredients have been prepared for five people.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 今日休んだ分は明日がんばろう。
• お土産は家族分買っていく。
• 先月より多く働いた分、給料が増えた。

Don't Say

• 三人分のお弁当を三つ買ってきて。(Adding 三つ after 三人分 is redundant — 三人分 already specifies the quantity for three people) → 三人分のお弁当を買ってきて。
• 遅刻した分を取り戻す分がんばる。(Using 分 twice in the same clause creates awkward repetition — restructure to avoid doubling) → 遅刻した分を取り戻すためにがんばる。

Origin & History

From the kanji 分, which originally meant to divide or portion. The reading ぶん for this suffix reflects its sense of a divided share or allotted amount, consistent with its core meaning of division.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal