分 (fēn) — minute / point / fraction

分 (fēn)

A versatile word: a unit of time equal to one minute, a scoring unit (point), or a fraction of one-tenth of a basic unit.

Meanings

1. [noun / measure word] Minute (unit of time, 1/60 of an hour).
2. [noun] Point, score (in an exam or competition).
3. [noun] Fraction, one-tenth unit (of yuan, etc.).

Example Sentences

现在是三点四十五分。 Xiànzài shì sān diǎn sìshíwǔ fēn. It is now 3:45 (three forty-five).

他考试得了九十五分。 Tā kǎoshì dé le jiǔshíwǔ fēn. He scored 95 points on the exam.

我只需要五分钟就能到。 Wǒ zhǐ xūyào wǔ fēnzhōng jiù néng dào. I only need five minutes to get there.

一元等于一百分。 Yī yuán děngyú yībǎi fēn. One yuan equals one hundred fen.

Collocations

Memory Hook

分 literally means "to divide" — a minute divides an hour into sixty parts; a point divides the total score into units.