分别

• 拼音: fēn bié
• 汉字拆解: 分 = 八 (divide) + 刀 (knife), meaning to cut apart; 别 = 另 (other) + 刂 (knife radical), meaning to separate

含义

To part; respectively; separately. Indicates actions done individually or the act of separating.

As a verb, means 'to part ways' or 'to separate.' As an adverb, means 'respectively' or 'separately,' indicating that different subjects each do something different or that the same action applies to different objects individually. Very common in both spoken and written Chinese.

例句

1. 毕业以后，同学们分别去了不同的城市。
2. 我们在机场分别了，大家都很难过。
3. 这三道菜分别是酸的、辣的和甜的。

用法指南

语境: narration, enumeration, everyday

语气: informative

正确说法

• 他们分别来自北京和上海。(They are from Beijing and Shanghai respectively.)
• 我们在车站分别了。(We parted ways at the station.)

错误说法

• 我分别去了超市。(Don't use 分别 with a single action and single destination — it requires multiple items or people to make the 'respectively/separately' meaning work)

起源与历史

分 (to divide, to separate) + 别 (to part, to distinguish). Together expressing the concept of separating or distinguishing things individually.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal