Difference between revisions of "Expressing fractions with "fenzhi""
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| − | 分之 (fēn zhī) is used to | + | 分之 (fēn zhī) is used to express fractions in Chinese. When expressing a fraction, the denominator is always said before the numerator. This pattern is also the way percentages are expressed in Chinese. |
So "½" is read 二分之一 (èr fēn zhī yī), literally "1 of 2 portions." Note the order: it's ''NOT'' 一分之二 (yī fēn zhī èr). So "¾" is 四分之三 (sì fēn zhī sān), and "⅚" is 六分之五 (liù fēn zhī wǔ). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí), which is literally the same as how you would pronounce the equivalent fraction "50 hundredths." | So "½" is read 二分之一 (èr fēn zhī yī), literally "1 of 2 portions." Note the order: it's ''NOT'' 一分之二 (yī fēn zhī èr). So "¾" is 四分之三 (sì fēn zhī sān), and "⅚" is 六分之五 (liù fēn zhī wǔ). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí), which is literally the same as how you would pronounce the equivalent fraction "50 hundredths." | ||
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*我们 公司 的 外国 员工 <strong>占</strong> 三 <em>分 之</em> 一 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī de wàiguó yuángōng <strong>zhàn</strong> sān <em>fēn zhī</em> yī.</span><span class="trans">One third of our company's employees are foreigners.</span> | *我们 公司 的 外国 员工 <strong>占</strong> 三 <em>分 之</em> 一 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gōngsī de wàiguó yuángōng <strong>zhàn</strong> sān <em>fēn zhī</em> yī.</span><span class="trans">One third of our company's employees are foreigners.</span> | ||
| − | *美国 人口 <strong>是</strong> 中国 的 五 <em>分 之</em> 一 。<span class="pinyin">Měiguó rénkǒu <strong>shì</strong> Zhōngguó de wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> yī.</span><span class="trans"> | + | *美国 人口 <strong>是</strong> 中国 的 五 <em>分 之</em> 一 。<span class="pinyin">Měiguó rénkǒu <strong>shì</strong> Zhōngguó de wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> yī.</span><span class="trans">The USA's population is one fifth of China's.</span> |
| − | *押金 <strong>是</strong> 房租 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 二十 。<span class="pinyin"> | + | *押金 <strong>是</strong> 房租 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 二十 。<span class="pinyin">Yājīn <strong>shì</strong> fángzū de <em>bǎifēn zhī</em> èrshí.</span><span class="trans">The deposit is 20% of the rent.</span> |
*期末 考试 成绩 <strong>占</strong> 总 成绩 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 三十 。 <span class="pinyin">Qīmò kǎoshì chéngjì <strong>zhàn</strong> zǒng chéngjì de bǎi <em>fēn zhī</em> sānshí.</span><span class="trans">The final exam grade accounts for 30% of the final grade.</span> | *期末 考试 成绩 <strong>占</strong> 总 成绩 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 三十 。 <span class="pinyin">Qīmò kǎoshì chéngjì <strong>zhàn</strong> zǒng chéngjì de bǎi <em>fēn zhī</em> sānshí.</span><span class="trans">The final exam grade accounts for 30% of the final grade.</span> | ||
*在 美国 ，全职 妈妈 差不多 <strong>占</strong> 五 <em>分 之</em> 二 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Měiguó, quánzhí māma chàbuduō <strong>zhàn</strong> wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> èr.</span><span class="trans">In the US, full-time mothers are about two fifths of all mothers.</span> | *在 美国 ，全职 妈妈 差不多 <strong>占</strong> 五 <em>分 之</em> 二 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Měiguó, quánzhí māma chàbuduō <strong>zhàn</strong> wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> èr.</span><span class="trans">In the US, full-time mothers are about two fifths of all mothers.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
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[[Category: B1 grammar points]] | [[Category: B1 grammar points]] | ||
| + | {{HSK|HSK4}} | ||
{{Basic Grammar|分之|B1|Denominator + 分之 + Numerator|在 我们 班 ，外国 学生 占 三 <em>分 之</em> 一 。|grammar point|ASG84RE9}} | {{Basic Grammar|分之|B1|Denominator + 分之 + Numerator|在 我们 班 ，外国 学生 占 三 <em>分 之</em> 一 。|grammar point|ASG84RE9}} | ||
{{Rel char|之}} | {{Rel char|之}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:40, 24 April 2019
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Keywords
分之 (fēn zhī) is used to express fractions in Chinese. When expressing a fraction, the denominator is always said before the numerator. This pattern is also the way percentages are expressed in Chinese.
So "½" is read 二分之一 (èr fēn zhī yī), literally "1 of 2 portions." Note the order: it's NOT 一分之二 (yī fēn zhī èr). So "¾" is 四分之三 (sì fēn zhī sān), and "⅚" is 六分之五 (liù fēn zhī wǔ). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí), which is literally the same as how you would pronounce the equivalent fraction "50 hundredths."
Contents
Basic Pattern
Structure
Denominator + 分之 + Numerator
Remember that the denominator is the bottom number in a fraction, but it comes first in spoken Chinese. Knowing that this order actually totally fits the overall "big to small" Chinese cultural pattern might help you to remember.
Examples
- 我 的 手机 电量 只 有 百 分 之 五 了 。My phone only has 5% power left.
- 这个 文件 已经 下载 了 三 分 之 二 。This document is two-thirds downloaded.
- 这 篇 文章 有 五 分 之 三 是 抄 别人 的 。Three fifths of this article has been copied from others.
- 差不多 三 分 之 一 的 美国 人 有 护照 。About one third of Americans have passports.
- 我们 学校 四 分 之 三 的 老师 都 是 男 老师 。Three fourths of the teachers at our school are male teachers.
Advanced Pattern
Structure
This structure is what you'll often see in news stories that use statistics. The word 占 (zhàn) is a bit more formal, and means something like "comprises" or "makes up" or "accounts for."
A + 是 / 占 + B + 的 + Denominator + 分之 + Numerator
Examples
- 我们 公司 的 外国 员工 占 三 分 之 一 。One third of our company's employees are foreigners.
- 美国 人口 是 中国 的 五 分 之 一 。The USA's population is one fifth of China's.
- 押金 是 房租 的 百 分 之 二十 。The deposit is 20% of the rent.
- 期末 考试 成绩 占 总 成绩 的 百 分 之 三十 。 The final exam grade accounts for 30% of the final grade.
- 在 美国 ，全职 妈妈 差不多 占 五 分 之 二 。In the US, full-time mothers are about two fifths of all mothers.
