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分辨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
分辨fēnbiànto distinguishHSK 7, v, 20 strokes, rank #6677, Very Hard
分辨fēnbiànto differentiateHSK 7, v, 20 strokes, rank #6677, Very Hard
分辨fēnbiànto resolveHSK 7, v, 20 strokes, rank #6677, Very Hard
fēnbiàn(fen1bian4)fen bian T1
  1. 1to distinguish
  2. 2to differentiate
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March 24, 2026

分辨fēnbiàn(fen1bian4)

分辨 (fēnbiàn) means to distinguish or differentiate between items, ideas, or situations. It is commonly used in contexts involving comparisons or evaluations, such as discerning differences in opinions, flavors, or quality. The nuance of this term implies a deeper level of analysis or judgment rather than a simple recognition.

Strokes20Frequency#6677DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the ability to 分辨 is highly valued, especially in discussions about moral and philosophical issues. The concept reflects the importance of critical thinking in decision-making processes, which is often emphasized in education.

Memory tip

Think of 分 (fēn) as 'to divide' and 辨 (biàn) as 'to discern.' Imagine you have two fruits, an apple and an orange, and you are trying to 'cut' (分) through their appearances to 'discern' (辨) their tastes. Visualize a judge in a competition carefully distinguishing between the two based on criteria.

Meanings of 分辨

fēnbiàn(fen1bian4)
1to distinguish
2to differentiate
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 分辨

分辨Simplified
20Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6677Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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Podcast: 分辨

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AI study notes for 分辨

Quick Contrast

区分 (qūfēn) — use 分辨 when emphasizing deeper analysis or judgment, while 区分 is more about simple categorization.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 分辨 in contexts where simpler terms like 识别 (shíbié, to recognize) would suffice. This term is more formal and should be avoided in casual conversations. Be cautious with tone, as using a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

As a level 6 word, 分辨 connects with other advanced vocabulary related to analysis and judgment, such as 辩论 (biànlùn, debate) and 识别 (shíbié, recognition). Students should focus on using it in sentences that require critical thinking or nuanced comparison.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 分辨 with 辩论 (biànlùn) and use it incorrectly in argumentative contexts. For instance, saying '我们要分辨这个问题' (Wǒmen yào fēnbiàn zhège wèntí) is incorrect; it should be '我们要辩论这个问题' (Wǒmen yào biànlùn zhège wèntí) to indicate a debate.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 分辨

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Component characters

分fēnto divide
HSK 14 strokes刀
View full entry
辨biànto distinguish
16 strokes辛
View full entry

How to say to distinguish in Chinese

“to distinguish” in Chinese is分辨fēnbiàn

分辨 (fēnbiàn) means to distinguish or differentiate between items, ideas, or situations. It is commonly used in contexts involving comparisons or evaluations, such as discerning differences in opinions, flavors, or quality. The nuance of this term implies a deeper level of analysis or judgment rather than a simple recognition.

When to use 分辨

Common mistakes include using 分辨 in contexts where simpler terms like 识别 (shíbié, to recognize) would suffice. This term is more formal and should be avoided in casual conversations. Be cautious with tone, as using a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

分辨 or something close to it

区分 (qūfēn) — use 分辨 when emphasizing deeper analysis or judgment, while 区分 is more about simple categorization.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 分辨 with 辩论 (biànlùn) and use it incorrectly in argumentative contexts. For instance, saying '我们要分辨这个问题' (Wǒmen yào fēnbiàn zhège wèntí) is incorrect; it should be '我们要辩论这个问题' (Wǒmen yào biànlùn zhège wèntí) to indicate a debate.

Write 分辨

分
辨

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Grammar patterns of 分辨

分辨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我试图____出她用哪种香水。

I tried to identify her perfume.

Example sentences for 分辨 (8)

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1
我试图分辨出她用哪种香水。

wǒ shìtú fēnbiàn chū tā yòng nǎ zhǒng xiāngshuǐ。

I tried to identify her perfume.
2
这对双胞胎一模一样,我分辨不出谁是谁.

zhè duì shuāngbāotāi yìmúyíyàng, wǒ fēnbiàn bù chū shéi shì shéi.

The twins are so alike that I can't tell which is which.
3
有些卫星能提供 高分辨率 的摄影图像.

yǒuxiē wèixīng néng tígōng gāo fēnbiàn lǜ de shèyǐng túxiàng.

There are satellites that supply high - resolution photography.
4
他们能分辨上百种颜色.

tāmen néng fēnbiàn shàng bǎi zhǒng yánsè.

They can discriminate hundreds of colours.
5
目的: 观察肺阴虚证患者的 高分辨 CT表现.

mùdì: guānchá fèi yīn xū zhèng huànzhě de gāo fēnbiàn CT biǎoxiàn.

Objective: Investigation on HRCT of patient of Fei - Yin deficiency syndrome.
6
他怎么能把真画和假画分辨出来 呢 ?

tā zěnme néng bǎ zhēn huà hé jiǎ huà fēnbiàn chūlái ne?

How can he discriminate the real painting from the false one?
7
此属性的最小分辨率为一秒.

cǐ shǔxìng de zuì xiǎo fēnbiàn lǜ wèi yī miǎo.

The minimum resolution of this property is one second.
8
现在这台机器可以呈现很高的分辨率,我们可以看见非常小的钙微粒。

xiànzài zhè tái jīqì kěyǐ chéngxiàn hěn gāo de fēnbiàn lǜ, wǒmen kěyǐ kànjiàn fēicháng xiǎo de gài Wēi lì。

Now this machine gives us such high resolution that we can see very small specks of calcium.

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Frequently asked questions about 分辨

Some synonyms include 区分 (qūfēn, to differentiate) and 辩别 (biànbié, to distinguish).

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