分ける To Separate Something

Meaning

Primary

To Separate Something

Alternatives

To Divide Something, To Share, To Classify

Word Type

transitive verb, ichidan verb

Explanation

This word consists of kanji with hiragana attached. Because the hiragana ends with an う (in this case る) sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means part. When you're parting something, you're essentially separating something from others. So, this means to separate something or to divide something. Depending on the context, it can also mean to share or to classify.

Be careful not to confuse it with 分かる, a similar word with a different meaning. To do so, you'll need to learn the reading. Think of it this way: You "separate" what you care (ける) about from everything else. You want to separate those special things you care about from all the other things you don't care about.

Reading

わける

Explanation

Since this word consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, you can bet that it will use the kun'yomi reading. You didn't learn that reading with this kanji, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

You are to separate a couple of children that really have fun together. When you separate them, they begin to cry and scream: WAAAAAAAAAHHHH (わ). Poor kids.

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 〜を分ける

  それを分ける

  to divide that

  これを分ける

  to divide this

  人を分ける

  to divide people up

• 〜に分ける

  三回に分ける

  to divide into three

  グループに分ける

  to divide into groups

  二つに分ける

  to divide into two

• 〜分ける

  うまく分ける

  to divide well

  こまかく分ける

  to divide into small parts

  大きく分ける

  to divide briefly

Context Sentences

パスタを二人で分ける。

We split the pasta between two people.

大学用のノートとプライベートのノートを分けよう。

Let's separate university notebooks from your private notebooks.

ピザを半分に分けるなら、大きい方を下さい。

If you split the pizza, could you give me the bigger half?

Kanji Composition

1. 分

   ぶん Part