分解 (fēnjiě) · to break down

分解 (fēnjiě) means “to break down; to decompose; to explain”. It is written with 2 characters: 分 (to divide) + 解 (to explain). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 分解 is built

The characters

分 fēn · to divide

What 分 is made of

八bā — eight
刀dāo — knife
- 丿 — falling stroke

Origin hint: Pieces 八 being further subdivided with a knife 刀 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

解 jiě · to explain

What 解 is made of

角jiǎo — angle
- ⺈ — top shape
- 用yòng — to use
  - 冂 — frame
刀dāo — knife
- 丿 — falling stroke
牛niú — ox

Origin hint: To cut 刀 the horns 角 off of an ox 牛; 角 also provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

这种塑料很难分解。Zhè zhǒng sùliào hěn nán fēnjiě.This kind of plastic is hard to break down.

老师把难题分解成几个小问题。Lǎoshī bǎ nántí fēnjiě chéng jǐ gè xiǎo wèntí.The teacher broke the hard problem into several small ones.

Questions about 分解

What does 分解 mean?

分解 (fēnjiě) means “to break down; to decompose; to explain”.

How do you pronounce 分解?

分解 is pronounced fēnjiě.

Which HSK level is 分解?

分解 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 分解 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 55: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

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