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分钟 (fēn zhōng) — minute (unit of time)

Definition

分钟 (fēnzhōng) is the full word for 'minute' (unit of time). The short form 分 also means 'minute' but is also used for cents and points — say 分钟 when you mean the time unit.

classifier
minute (unit of time)

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ zǒu shí fēn zhōng.
    I walk for ten minutes.
  • 分钟？
    Nǐ pǎo le jǐ fēn zhōng?
    How many minutes did you run?
  • 。
    Tā hē le wǔ fēn zhōng de shuǐ.
    He drank water for five minutes.

Origin

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fēnminute
钟zhōngclock

The time unit 分 narrows the clock measure 钟, giving minute.

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 钟 →
Appears in
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