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分级 (fēn jí) — to grade, to rank (into levels)

Definition

分级 (fēnjí) means to rank items into levels (e.g. quality, difficulty). It focuses on ordering by degree or tier, while 分类 groups by kind or type. 晋级 is the reverse motion — moving up to a higher level.

verb
to gradeto rank (into levels)

Examples

  • 分级。
    Lǎo shī bǎ xué shēng de zuò wén fēn jí le.
    The teacher graded the students' essays.
  • 分级。
    Zhè xiē chǎn pǐn àn zhì liàng fēn jí.
    These products are graded by quality.
  • 分级。
    Diàn yǐng yuàn de zuò wèi fēn jí wèi sān gè děng jí.
    The cinema seats are classified into three levels.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

分fēndivide
级jílevels

分 'divide' and 级 'levels' combine to mean rank into levels.

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 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Order & Arrangement

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