Meaning of 分为
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to divide sth into (parts); to subdivide
How to use 分为
分为 is a fairly formal verb used to say what parts something is split into. The parts come right after it, often with a number. Example: 一年分为四个季节。(Yì nián fēnwéi sì gè jìjié.) A year is divided into four seasons.
分 (fēn) means to divide, and 为 (wéi) here means to become or to be. Put them together: you divide something so that it becomes several parts.
Common mistake: Learners often read 为 here as wèi, the tone used in 为什么 (wèi shénme) and 因为 (yīnwèi), but in 分为 it is second tone, wéi, like in 成为 (chéngwéi). Another common error is adding 成 or 到 after 分为, as in 分为成, which is wrong.
分为 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
分 fēn · to divide · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
为 wèi · because of · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 分为.
| 为什么 | wèi shénme | why?; for what reason? |
| 因为 | yīnwèi | because; owing to; on account of |
| 认为 | rènwéi | to believe; to think; to consider; to feel |
| 以为 | yǐwéi | to think; to believe (often with the implication that the belief is mistaken – unless refe |
| 成为 | chéngwéi | to become; to turn into |
| 分钟 | fēnzhōng | minute |
| 行为 | xíngwéi | action; conduct; behavior; activity |
| 部分 | bùfen | part; portion; piece; Taiwan pr. [bu4fen4] |
| 一部分 | yī bùfen | portion; part of |
| 十分 | shífēn | very; completely |
| 分开 | fēnkāi | to separate; to part |
| 大部分 | dàbùfen | the greater part; the majority; most; Taiwan pr. [da4bu4fen4] |
Questions about 分为
What does 分为 mean?
分为 (fēnwéi) means "to divide sth into (parts); to subdivide".
How do you write 分为?
分为 is made of 2 characters: 分 (4 strokes), 为 (4 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 分为 an HSK word?
Yes. 分为 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 分为 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 分为 is written 分為.
What is the difference between 分为 and 分成?
Both mean to divide into, and they are often interchangeable. 分成 (fēnchéng) sounds more casual and suits everyday actions like cutting a cake, while 分为 sounds more formal and is common in writing, textbooks and classifications.
How do I say something is divided into parts by someone or by a rule?
You can use 把 or 被 with 分为. For example, 老师把学生分为三组。(Lǎoshī bǎ xuéshēng fēnwéi sān zǔ.) The teacher divided the students into three groups. In passive form you can say 学生被分为三组。