分针 (fēn zhēn) — minute hand (of a clock or watch)

Definition

The minute hand of a clock or watch. Pairs naturally with 时针 ('hour hand') — 分针 moves faster and completes one full circle each hour.

noun

minute hand (of a clock or watch)

Measure word · 根

，分针。
Tā kàn le yì yǎn qiáng shàng de zhōng, fēn zhēn zhèng zhǐ xiàng shí yī diǎn wǔ shí fēn.
He glanced at the clock on the wall; the minute hand was pointing to eleven fifty.
分针，。
Zhè zhī lǎo zhōng de fēn zhēn zǒu dé hěn zhǔn, dàn shí zhēn yǒu diǎn sōng dòng.
The minute hand of this old clock runs accurately, but the hour hand is a bit loose.
，分针。
Měi gé yì xiǎo shí, fēn zhēn jiù huì zhuǎn guò yì zhěng quān.
Every hour, the minute hand makes a full circle.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

分 means minute, and 针 means hand; together they name the minute hand of a clock.

Characters in this word

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

八刀分

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

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 針; 针 is its simplified writing.

釒十針

Meaning part形符xíngfú

釒Written in full as金jīnmetal

Sound part声符shēngfú

十

十shí針zhēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 針 puts 釒, the metal side, beside 十, which gives the sound; 针 is a simplified shorthand.