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分身 (fēn shēn) — to spare time from one's main work (to attend to something else)

Definition

A colloquial verb meaning to spare time from what you're already doing in order to do something else — used in the negative (分不开身) to say you're too busy. Often paired with 乏术 to mean 'can't attend to it'.

verb
to spare time from one's main work (to attend to something else)

Examples

  • ，。
    Wǒ jīn tiān tài máng le, shí zài fēn bù kāi shēn.
    I'm too busy today — I really can't spare any time.
  • 分身？
    Nǐ néng fēn shēn lái bāng wǒ yí xià ma?
    Can you spare some time to help me?
  • ，。
    Tā zuì jìn gōng zuò hěn máng, fēn shēn fá shù.
    He's been very busy with work lately and can't spare the time.

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
身shēnbody/self

分 (divide) and 身 (body/self) suggest splitting oneself to be elsewhere.

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.

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

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