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分发 (fēn fā) — to distribute, to hand out

Definition

分发 (fēnfā) means handing things out one by one to people (flyers, exam papers, gifts). Unlike 分配, it does not imply allocating scarce resources or assigning roles; 散发 is more literary and also means 'emit' (smells, light).

verb
to distributeto hand out

Examples

  • 分发。
    Lǎo shī zhèng zài fēn fā shì juàn.
    The teacher is distributing the exam papers.
  • 分发？
    Shuí lái fēn fā zhè xiē lǐ wù?
    Who will distribute these gifts?
  • 分发。
    Qǐng bǎ chuán dān fēn fā gěi měi gè rén.
    Please hand out the flyers to everyone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

分fēndivide
发fāsend out

分 means divide and 发 means send out, together giving distribute or hand out.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

分 pairs 八 (to separate) with 刀 (knife), showing something cut apart with a knife.

Open 分 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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