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Summary: Learn how to use the versatile Chinese verb 划分 (huàfēn), an essential HSK 5 word that means to divide, partition, or classify. This page breaks down how 划分 is used to create clear boundaries for everything from geographical territories and historical periods to abstract concepts and project responsibilities. Discover its cultural context, practical examples, and how it differs from similar words like 分开 (fēnkāi) and 分配 (fēnpèi).
Core Meaning
Pinyin (with tone marks): huàfēn
Part of Speech: Verb
HSK Level: HSK 5
Concise Definition: To divide, partition, or classify something into distinct parts or categories.
In a Nutshell: Imagine you have a large, complex whole and you need to draw clear, logical lines to organize it. That's 划分. It’s the act of creating systematic divisions. Whether you're a city planner demarcating new districts, a historian defining an era, or a manager assigning areas of responsibility, 划分 is the word for creating those deliberate and clear-cut boundaries. It’s more formal and systematic than simply “splitting” something.
Character Breakdown
划 (huà): This character means “to draw a line,” “to mark,” or “to delimit.” Think of using a pen or even a knife (刂 is the “knife” radical) to create a clear mark or boundary.
分 (fēn): This character means “to divide,” “to separate,” or “a part/portion.” It's a fundamental concept of splitting a whole into smaller pieces.
When combined, 划分 (huàfēn) literally means “to draw a line to divide.” This visual metaphor perfectly captures the word's meaning: creating a clear, intentional separation to organize or categorize something.
Cultural Context and Significance
While 划分 is a functional term, its frequent use reflects a broader cultural appreciation for order, structure, and clear categorization in Chinese thought. This can be seen in various aspects of Chinese society:
Administrative Precision: China's governance relies heavily on the clear 划分 of administrative regions (省, 市, 区 - provinces, cities, districts). This concept of `行政区划 (xíngzhèng qūhuà)`, or administrative division, is fundamental to understanding the country's geography and politics.
Historical Periodization: Chinese history is meticulously 划分-ed into dynasties and periods, providing a structured framework for understanding thousands of years of complex events.
Conceptual Clarity: In philosophy and social thought, there's an emphasis on clearly 划分-ing concepts, such as the distinction between `理 (lǐ)` (principle) and `气 (qì)` (vital force) in Neo-Confucianism.
Comparison to Western Concepts: In English, “to divide” can be very general. You can “divide a pizza.” While you could technically say `划分披萨`, it would sound overly formal, as if you were creating a geopolitical map of the pizza. A Chinese speaker would simply use `分披萨 (fēn pīsà)`. 划分 is closer to the more formal English terms “to demarcate,” “to partition,” or “to classify.” It implies a level of authority, logic, or officialdom in the act of dividing.
Practical Usage in Modern China
划分 is a common word in formal, academic, and administrative contexts. It implies a rational and systematic approach to division.
Administrative and Geographical Use: This is a primary use case. It's used for drawing borders and creating zones.
`划分行政区域` (huàfēn xíngzhèng qūyù) - to demarcate administrative regions.
`把城市划分为五个区` (bǎ chéngshì huàfēn wéi wǔ gè qū) - to divide the city into five districts.
Conceptual and Academic Use: Used to classify information and ideas.
`划分历史时期` (huàfēn lìshǐ shíqī) - to divide into historical periods.
`划分生物种类` (huàfēn shēngwù zhǒnglèi) - to classify biological species.
Business and Management: Used for organizing tasks, markets, and responsibilities.
`划分工作范围` (huàfēn gōngzuò fànwéi) - to define the scope of work.
`根据收入水平划分客户群体` (gēnjù shōurù shuǐpíng huàfēn kèhù qúntǐ) - to segment customer groups according to income level.
Formality:划分 is generally neutral to formal. In casual conversation about simple division, a single character like `分 (fēn)` is more common.
Example Sentences
Example 1:
中国被划分为三十四个省级行政区。
Pinyin: Zhōngguó bèi huàfēn wéi sānshísì gè shěngjí xíngzhèngqū.
English: China is divided into 34 provincial-level administrative regions.
Analysis: A classic geographical/administrative example. The use of the passive voice `被 (bèi)` is common here, indicating that China “has been divided” this way.
English: Historians usually divide the 20th century into two main periods.
Analysis: This shows the use of 划分 for abstract concepts like time. The `将 (jiāng)… 划分为 (huàfēn wéi)…` structure is a formal way of saying “divide A into B.”
Example 3:
公司决定重新划分每个部门的责任。
Pinyin: Gōngsī juédìng chóngxīn huàfēn měi gè bùmén de zérèn.
English: The company decided to redefine the responsibilities of each department.
Analysis: A common business context. Here, `重新 (chóngxīn)` means “again” or “anew,” indicating a re-organization.
English: What is the standard for classifying countries as “developing” or “developed”?
Analysis: Here, 划分 acts as a noun: “the division” or “the classification.”
Example 10:
我们用一道帘子把房间划分成了两个空间。
Pinyin: Wǒmen yòng yí dào liánzi bǎ fángjiān huàfēn chéng le liǎng gè kōngjiān.
English: We used a curtain to partition the room into two spaces.
Analysis: This is a more concrete, physical example. While less common than conceptual division, it's perfectly correct and highlights the idea of creating a clear boundary.
Nuances and Common Mistakes
`划分 (huàfēn)` vs. `分开 (fēnkāi)`: This is a crucial distinction.
划分 (huàfēn): To create a boundary or category. The whole often remains intact. You 划分 a country into states; the country is still one entity.
分开 (fēnkāi): To physically separate two or more things. You 分开 two people who are fighting. Two objects become physically apart.
*Incorrect:* `他们吵架了，我们去把他们划分一下。` (They're arguing, let's go divide them.)
*Correct:* `他们吵架了，我们去把他们分开一下。` (They're arguing, let's go separate them.)
`划分 (huàfēn)` vs. `分配 (fēnpèi)`:
划分 (huàfēn): To create sections or categories. The focus is on drawing the lines.
分配 (fēnpèi): To distribute or allocate resources among recipients. The focus is on giving out the portions.
*Example:* 你先用刀把蛋糕划分成八块 (First, use a knife to divide the cake into eight pieces), 然后再分配给大家 (and then distribute it to everyone).
Don't use for relationships: You cannot use 划分 for a romantic breakup.
*Incorrect:* `我和我的女朋友划分了。`
*Correct:* `我和我的女朋友分手了 (fēnshǒu le)。`
Related Terms and Concepts
分类 (fēnlèi) - To classify, to sort. Very similar to 划分 and often interchangeable. 分类 focuses more on sorting items into existing `类` (categories), while 划分 can imply the act of creating the dividing lines themselves.
分开 (fēnkāi) - To separate (physically). Contrasts with 划分's focus on conceptual or systematic division.
分配 (fēnpèi) - To distribute, to allocate. This is what you do with the pieces *after* you have used 划分 to create them.
分割 (fēngē) - To cut up, to partition. Similar to 划分, but often implies a more forceful, physical cutting or a more complete separation, like partitioning a hard drive or carving up territory.
界限 (jièxiàn) - A boundary, a dividing line. 划分 is the verb used to create a 界限.
区别 (qūbié) - A difference; to distinguish. The purpose of 划分 is often to make a clear 区别 between things.
范围 (fànwéi) - Scope, range, limits. You use 划分 to define a specific 范围.
种类 (zhǒnglèi) - Kind, type, category. The result of a successful 划分 or 分类 is a set of distinct 种类.