TongTong
Sign in

分配 (fēn pèi) — to distribute, to allocate, to assign

Definition

分配 means to distribute or allocate resources, tasks, or time to different people or groups. It is more systematic and official than 发放 (issuing to the public) and applies to both abstract (time, tasks) and concrete things.

verb
to distributeto allocateto assign

Examples

  • 分配。
    Gōng sī fēn pèi le xīn de rèn wu gěi měi gè bù mén.
    The company assigned new tasks to each department.
  • 分配。
    Zhè xiē zī yuán xū yào hé lǐ fēn pèi.
    These resources need to be allocated reasonably.
  • 分配。
    Lǎo shī bǎ kǎo shì shí jiān fēn pèi le yí xià.
    The teacher distributed the exam time a bit.

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fēndistribute
配pèiallocate

Both 分 and 配 mean to hand out or set apart, so together they express allocating.

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 →

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

  • 酉酉yǒualcohol vessel
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

配 is formed by putting 酉, an alcohol vessel, next to 卩, a kneeling person. The reference gives these two parts, but not the reason they combine.

Open 配 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Management

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.