Difference between revisions of "Expressing fractions with "fenzhi""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | 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 | + | 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." |
== Basic Pattern == | == Basic Pattern == | ||
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<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | Denominator + 分之 + Numerator | + | Denominator + 分之 + Numerator |
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | 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 === | === Examples === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *我 的 手机 电量 只 有 百 <em>分 之</em> 五 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de shǒujī diànliàng zhǐ yǒu bǎi <em>fēn zhī</em> wǔ le.</span><span class="trans">My phone | + | *我 的 手机 电量 只 有 百 <em>分 之</em> 五 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de shǒujī diànliàng zhǐ yǒu bǎi <em>fēn zhī</em> wǔ le.</span><span class="trans">My phone only has 5% power left.</span> |
| − | *这个 文件 已经 下载 | + | *这个 文件 已经 下载 了 三 <em>分 之</em> 二 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège wénjiàn yǐjīng xiàzǎi le sān <em>fēn zhī</em> èr.</span><span class="trans">This document is two-thirds downloaded.</span> |
| − | *这 篇 文章 有 五 <em>分 之</em> 三 | + | *这 篇 文章 有 五 <em>分 之</em> 三 是 抄 别人 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè piān wénzhāng yǒu wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> sān shì chāo biérén de.</span><span class="trans">Three fifths of this article has been copied from others.</span> |
| − | * | + | *差不多 三 <em>分 之</em> 一 的 美国 人 有 护照 。<span class="pinyin">Chàbuduō sān <em>fēn zhī</em> yī de Měiguó rén yǒu hùzhào.</span><span class="trans">About one third of Americans have passports.</span> |
*我们 学校 四 <em>分 之</em> 三 的 老师 都 是 男 老师 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xuéxiào sì <em>fēn zhī</em> sān de lǎoshī dōu shì nán lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">Three fourths of the teachers at our school are male teachers.</span> | *我们 学校 四 <em>分 之</em> 三 的 老师 都 是 男 老师 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen xuéxiào sì <em>fēn zhī</em> sān de lǎoshī dōu shì nán lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">Three fourths of the teachers at our school are male teachers.</span> | ||
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=== Structure === | === 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." | ||
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
| − | A + 是 / 占 | + | A + 是 / 占 + B + 的 + Denominator + 分之 + Numerator |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * | + | *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> |
| − | *押金 是 房租 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 二十 。<span class="pinyin"> | + | *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> |
| − | *期末 考试 成绩 占 总 成绩 的 百 <em>分 之</em> 三十 。 <span class="pinyin">Qīmò kǎoshì chéngjì zhàn zǒng chéngjì de bǎi <em>fēn zhī</em> sānshí.</span><span class="trans">The | + | *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> |
| − | *在 美国 ，全职 妈妈 差不多 占 五 <em>分 之</em> 二 。<span class="pinyin">Zài Měiguó, quánzhí māma chàbuduō zhàn wǔ <em>fēn zhī</em> èr.</span><span class="trans">In the US, two fifths of | + | *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> | |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
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=== Books === | === Books === | ||
| − | + | {{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|18}} | |
| − | + | {{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|152-3}} | |
[[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}} | ||
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}} | {{Used for|Expressing quantity}} | ||
| − | |||
{{Similar|Expressing "multiples" with "bei"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "multiples" with "bei"}} | ||
{{POS|Numbers}} | {{POS|Numbers}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:40, 24 April 2019
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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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.
