分 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
分 means “minute, part, understand”. It is written with 4 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ブン (bun), フン (fun), ブ (bu). Kun’yomi: わ.ける (wakeru), わ.かる (wakaru).
How to write 分 (stroke order)
Write 分 in 4 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 分
Trace 分 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 分
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ブン (bun)フン (fun)ブ (bu) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | わ.ける (wakeru)わ.かる (wakaru) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 分 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 分
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 五分 | ごふん gofun | five minutes | |
| 分かる | わかる wakaru | to understand |
五分 (gofun) means “five minutes”. Also in this word: 五
分かる (wakaru) means “to understand”.
FAQ
What does 分 mean in Japanese?
分 means “minute, part, understand”. Common words with it are 五分 (gofun, “five minutes”) and 分かる (wakaru, “to understand”).
How many strokes does 分 have?
分 has 4 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 4.
How do you read 分?
The on’yomi is ブン (bun), フン (fun), ブ (bu) and the kun’yomi is わ.ける (wakeru), わ.かる (wakaru). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 分 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 分 is kanji number 29 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.