Meaning of 分离
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to separate
How to use 分离
分离 is a fairly formal word for things or people being separated, used for families, lovers, or in science for separating substances. Example: 他们分离了十年。(Tāmen fēnlí le shí nián.) They were separated for ten years.
分 (fēn) means to divide, and 离 (lí) means to leave or be apart, as in 离开 (líkāi). Picture two things that are divided and then move away from each other: that is 分离.
Common mistake: Learners often use 分离 in casual speech where 分开 (fēnkāi) sounds more natural, such as 把苹果分开 (bǎ píngguǒ fēnkāi). Also keep 分 in the first tone here. It is not fèn as in 部分 (bùfen) or 成分 (chéngfèn).
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
离 lí · to leave · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Related words
Words that share a character with 分离.
| 离开 | líkāi | to depart; to leave |
| 分钟 | fēnzhōng | minute |
| 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] |
| 分数 | fēnshù | (exam) grade; mark |
| 离婚 | líhūn | to divorce |
| 分别 | fēnbié | to part; to leave each other; to distinguish; to tell apart |
| 得分 | défēn | to score a point (in a competition, test etc); score; rating; grade |
| 分配 | fēnpèi | to distribute; to assign |
Questions about 分离
What does 分离 mean?
分离 (fēnlí) means "to separate" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 分离?
分离 is made of 2 characters: 分 (4 strokes), 离 (10 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 分离 an HSK word?
Yes. 分离 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 分离 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 分离 is written 分離.
What is the difference between 分离 and 分开?
分开 is everyday and flexible. You can 分开 two kids or 分开 your money. 分离 is more formal and often carries emotion, like long separation from loved ones, or a technical sense like separating chemicals.
Can 分离 take a direct object?
Yes, especially in technical writing, for example 分离出蛋白质 (fēnlí chū dànbáizhì), to separate out proteins. When it is about people, it usually appears with 跟 or 和, as in 和家人分离 (hé jiārén fēnlí), to be separated from one's family.