二十分之一 (èr shí fēn zhī yī) — one twentieth; one out of twenty

Definition

A fraction meaning 'one twentieth' — read as èr shí fēn zhī yī. Pattern: number + 分 + 之 + counter (e.g. 三分之一, 百分之一).

numeral
one twentiethone out of twenty

Examples

  • 二十分之一。
    Zhǐ yǒu èr shí fēn zhī yī de rén tōng guò le zhè cì kǎo shì.
    Only one twentieth of the people passed this exam.
  • 二十分之一。
    Gōng sī huì bǎ èr shí fēn zhī yī de lì rùn juān gěi cí shàn jī gòu.
    The company will donate one twentieth of its profits to charity.
  • 二十分之一。
    Zhè zhǒng bìng de fā bìng lǜ dà yuē shì èr shí fēn zhī yī.
    The incidence rate of this disease is about one in twenty.

Origin

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

二 is drawn as two parallel strokes, where the number of strokes shows the amount.

Open 二 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The early shape 十 was mostly a single vertical stroke, sometimes with a dot, and later gained a horizontal stroke to form a cross. For the number ten, it marked the next digit above one.

Open 十 →

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.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

Open 之 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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