fēnzǐ: 分子 - Molecule, Numerator, Element/Member

• Keywords: fenzi, 分子, what does fenzi mean, fenzi Chinese, Chinese molecule, Chinese numerator, Chinese for element, Chinese for member, 知识分子, 恐怖分子, criminal element in Chinese
• Summary: The Chinese word 分子 (fēnzǐ) is a versatile term with two distinct fields of meaning. In science and math, it refers to a molecule or the numerator of a fraction. However, its more nuanced social meaning refers to an “element” or “member” of a specific group, often used in formal or political contexts to categorize people, such as in 知识分子 (zhīshì fēnzǐ), “intellectual,” or 恐怖分子 (kǒngbù fēnzǐ), “terrorist.” Understanding both uses is key to mastering this important HSK 5 word.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fēnzǐ
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Molecule; numerator; a member or element of a particular group or class.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 分子 (fēnzǐ) as a “small part of a bigger thing.” In science, it's a molecule, the smallest part of a substance. In math, it's the numerator, the top part of a fraction. Socially, it refers to an individual “element” that represents a larger category of people, a label that can be neutral (like “intellectual”) or highly negative (like “criminal”).

• 分 (fēn): This character's core idea is “to divide,” “to separate,” or “a part.” Think of dividing a cake (分蛋糕) or the score in a game (得分).
• 子 (zǐ): Originally meaning “child” or “son,” this character is frequently used as a suffix to denote a small thing, a particle, or a person, like in 桌子 (zhuōzi - table) or 孩子 (háizi - child).
• The characters combine to mean “a divided particle” or “a small part of a whole.” This logic applies perfectly to all its meanings: a molecule is a small part of a chemical compound, a numerator is a part of a whole number, and a social element (分子) is one individual representing a larger classified group.

The scientific meanings of 分子 (fēnzǐ) are direct and universal. Its cultural weight comes entirely from its use in describing people. In Chinese social and political language, 分子 is a powerful tool for categorization. It's not just a “member” like the English word; it's a label that defines a person by a single, often immutable, characteristic. It’s similar to how English uses suffixes like “-ist” or “-er” (e.g., extremist, activist), but 分子 often carries a more formal, official, and sometimes politically charged tone. Historically, especially during the 20th century in China, being labeled a certain type of 分子 (e.g., 右派分子 - yòupài fēnzǐ, “rightist element”) had severe social and personal consequences. This history imbues the term with a gravity that a simple translation misses. It reflects a collectivist cultural perspective where an individual's identity can be defined by their role or classification within the larger societal group. A key contrast is with the Western emphasis on individualism. While in the West, “I am a member of the creative community” is a form of self-identification, being labeled a 知识分子 (zhīshì fēnzǐ - intellectual) in China is about being placed into a recognized social stratum with its own history, responsibilities, and expectations, a classification often made by society rather than the individual.

How you hear 分子 used depends heavily on the context.

• In Academia and School: In a science or math class, 分子 is used neutrally and frequently.
  • Chemistry/Physics: It simply means “molecule.”
  • Mathematics: It means “numerator.”
• In News, Politics, and Formal Settings: This is where the social meaning appears. It's used in media reports, legal documents, and official speeches to categorize people, almost always in a formal and serious tone. The connotation here is often negative.
  • Negative: 犯罪分子 (fànzuì fēnzǐ - criminal element), 恐怖分子 (kǒngbù fēnzǐ - terrorist), 敌对分子 (díduì fēnzǐ - hostile element).
  • Neutral/Respected: The most common positive or neutral usage is 知识分子 (zhīshì fēnzǐ - intellectual), which refers to the educated class.

You would never use 分子 for casual membership. For “member of a gym” or “team member,” you must use 成员 (chéngyuán).

• Example 1: (Meaning: Molecule)
  • 水是由氢分子和氧分子组成的。
  • Pinyin: Shuǐ shì yóu qīng fēnzǐ hé yǎng fēnzǐ zǔchéng de.
  • English: Water is composed of hydrogen molecules and oxygen molecules.
  • Analysis: A standard, neutral scientific statement you would find in a textbook.
• Example 2: (Meaning: Molecule)
  • 科学家们在显微镜下观察这个新分子的结构。
  • Pinyin: Kēxuéjiāmen zài xiǎnwēijìng xià guānchá zhège xīn fēnzǐ de jiégòu.
  • English: The scientists are observing the structure of this new molecule under the microscope.
  • Analysis: This shows 分子 used in the context of scientific research.
• Example 3: (Meaning: Numerator)
  • 在分数“三分之二”里，二是分子，三是分母。
  • Pinyin: Zài fēnshù “sān fēn zhī èr” lǐ, èr shì fēnzǐ, sān shì fēnmǔ.
  • English: In the fraction “two-thirds,” two is the numerator, and three is the denominator.
  • Analysis: A clear, mathematical definition. Note the structure for reading fractions in Chinese: `分母(denominator) + 分之 + 分子(numerator)`.
• Example 4: (Meaning: Numerator)
  • 如果分子比分母大，这个分数就是假分数。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ fēnzǐ bǐ fēnmǔ dà, zhège fēnshù jiùshì jiǎ fēnshù.
  • English: If the numerator is larger than the denominator, the fraction is an improper fraction.
  • Analysis: Another straightforward mathematical rule.
• Example 5: (Meaning: Element/Member - Terrorist)
  • 警方成功抓捕了三名恐怖分子。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng chénggōng zhuābǔle sān míng kǒngbù fēnzǐ.
  • English: The police successfully arrested three terrorists.
  • Analysis: Here, 分子 is part of a compound word. It has a very strong, negative connotation and is used in formal contexts like news reports.
• Example 6: (Meaning: Element/Member - Criminal)
  • 我们决不能让这些犯罪分子逍遥法外。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jué bùnéng ràng zhèxiē fànzuì fēnzǐ xiāoyáo fǎwài.
  • English: We absolutely cannot let these criminal elements remain at large.
  • Analysis: Similar to the example above, 犯罪分子 is a formal, legalistic term for “criminal.”
• Example 7: (Meaning: Element/Member - Intellectual)
  • 在中国，知识分子在社会上扮演着重要的角色。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, zhīshì fēnzǐ zài shèhuì shàng bànyǎnzhe zhòngyào de juésè.
  • English: In China, intellectuals play an important role in society.
  • Analysis: This is the most common non-negative social use of 分子. It refers to a whole social class.
• Example 8: (Meaning: Element/Member - Advanced)
  • 他被评为公司的先进分子，得到了大家的尊重。
  • Pinyin: Tā bèi píng wèi gōngsī de xiānjìn fēnzǐ, dédàole dàjiā de zūnzhòng.
  • English: He was named an advanced element/model worker of the company and earned everyone's respect.
  • Analysis: 先进分子 (xiānjìn fēnzǐ) is a term from a slightly more socialist/collective era but still used sometimes to mean “model worker” or “exemplary individual.” It's a positive label.
• Example 9: (Meaning: Element/Member - Undesirable)
  • 学校开除了一些不良分子以维持校园秩序。
  • Pinyin: Xuéxiào kāichúle yīxiē bùliáng fēnzǐ yǐ wéichí xiàoyuán zhìxù.
  • English: The school expelled some undesirable elements to maintain order on campus.
  • Analysis: 不良 (bùliáng) means “bad” or “harmful.” 不良分子 is a general term for troublemakers or bad influences.
• Example 10: (Meaning: Element/Member - Separatist)
  • 新闻报道了关于分裂分子活动的消息。
  • Pinyin: Xīnwén bàodàole guānyú fēnliè fēnzǐ huódòng de xiāoxī.
  • English: The news reported on the activities of separatist elements.
  • Analysis: 分裂 (fēnliè) means “to split” or “to divide.” This is another serious, political label with a very negative connotation.

• Mistake 1: Using 分子 for casual membership.
  • Incorrect: 我是这个读书俱乐部的分子。(Wǒ shì zhège dúshū jùlèbù de fēnzǐ.)
  • Why it's wrong: 分子 is a formal label for a type of person, not just a member of a group. It sounds strange and overly serious, as if you're classifying yourself.
  • Correct: 我是这个读书俱乐部的成员。(Wǒ shì zhège dúshū jùlèbù de chéngyuán.)
• Mistake 2: Not realizing the negative connotation.
  • Using 分子 to describe someone without a specific, established prefix (like 知识, 犯罪, etc.) can sound like you are applying a negative, dehumanizing label. It's not a word to use lightly when referring to people.
• False Friend vs. “Element”:
  • The English word “element” can be a good parallel for the social meaning of 分子. We say “the criminal element” or “a radical element,” which captures the same sense of a person or group defined by a single characteristic within a larger whole. However, 分子 is used more systematically and formally in Chinese.

• 成员 (chéngyuán) - The common, neutral word for a “member” of a team, family, or club. This is the word you usually want for simple membership.
• 原子 (yuánzǐ) - Atom. A related scientific term. Molecules are made of atoms.
• 分母 (fēnmǔ) - Denominator. The mathematical opposite of 分子.
• 知识分子 (zhīshì fēnzǐ) - Intellectual. The most significant and common compound word using 分子 to describe a social class.
• 元素 (yuánsù) - (Chemical) Element. Be careful not to confuse this with the social meaning of 分子. 元素 refers to elements on the periodic table (e.g., Oxygen, Iron).
• 部分 (bùfen) - Part; section. A more general word for a piece of something, without the scientific or social labeling connotations of 分子.
• 个体 (gètǐ) - An individual person or entity. Focuses on singularity, whereas 分子 focuses on being a representative of a category.
• 家伙 (jiāhuo) - Guy; fellow. A very informal, colloquial way to refer to a person, sometimes with a slightly negative or dismissive tone (e.g., “that guy”). It's the opposite of the formal nature of 分子.