分散
fēn sàn HSK 6

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

警察分散了聚集的人群。
Jǐngchá fēnsànle jùjí de rénqún.
The police dispersed the gathered crowd.
投资应该分散风险。
Tóuzī yīnggāi fēnsàn fēngxiǎn.
Investments should scatter the risks.
学生们分散在校园各处。
Xuéshēngmen fēnsàn zài xiàoyuán gè chù.
The students are scattered across the campus.
人群分散了。
Rénqún fēnsàn le.
The crowd dispersed.
烟雾分散了。
Yānwù fēnsàn le.
The smoke dispersed.

💡 Memory Tip

Break down the characters: 分 (fēn) means 'to divide' and 散 (sàn) means 'to scatter.' Think of dividing something and then scattering the pieces, like dispersing a crowd or distracting your mind by splitting focus.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in formality and used in both spoken and written Chinese. Common contexts include describing physical scattering (e.g., crowds or objects), abstract diversion (e.g., attention or efforts), or logistical distribution (e.g., resources or risks).

📖 Grammar Points

It is often used as a transitive verb (e.g., 分散注意力) or in passive constructions with 被 (e.g., 注意力被分散了). It can also function as an adjective in compounds like 分散的 (dispersed).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 分散 is sometimes discussed in contexts like family separation due to work (e.g., 家庭分散) or educational strategies to avoid over-concentration of resources, reflecting values of balance and risk management.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 分开 (fēnkāi, to separate or part), which often implies a clear division into distinct units, 分散 emphasizes a broader, more scattered spreading out. Unlike 散开 (sànkāi, to disperse or break up, often for crowds), 分散 can apply to non-physical things like focus.

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