fēnzǔ: 分组 - To group, to divide into groups, grouping

• Keywords: fenzu, 分组, Chinese for group, divide into groups, how to say grouping in Chinese, team up in Chinese, Chinese classroom, project groups, data grouping, split into teams.
• Summary: Learn how to use the common Chinese verb and noun 分组 (fēnzǔ), which means “to group” or “to divide into groups.” This practical term is essential for understanding instructions in classrooms, workplaces, and social activities in China. This guide covers its meaning, character breakdown, cultural context, and provides numerous example sentences to show you how to use it correctly when splitting into teams for a project, a game, or any collaborative task.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fēn zǔ
• Part of Speech: Verb, Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To divide people or things into smaller, functional groups; the act of grouping.
• In a Nutshell: 分组 (fēnzǔ) is the action word you hear right before teamwork begins. Imagine a teacher clapping their hands and saying, “Okay everyone, let's get into groups!” That action is 分组. It's a very direct and functional term that focuses on the process of creating smaller units from a larger whole for a specific purpose, like a discussion, a project, or a game.

• 分 (fēn): This character means “to divide,” “to separate,” or “to part.” It's a pictograph combining 八 (bā), which here represents something being split, and 刀 (dāo), the character for a knife. So, you can visualize it as using a knife to divide something in two.
• 组 (zǔ): This character means “to form,” “to organize,” or “a group/team.” It's composed of the silk radical 纟(sī) and 且 (qiě). The silk radical suggests weaving or threading things together, while 且 provides the sound. The combination implies the idea of organizing or weaving individual threads into a cohesive unit or group.
• Together, 分组 (fēnzǔ) literally means “to divide and organize into groups,” a perfect description of its meaning.

While 分组 (fēnzǔ) is a functional word, its frequent use reflects a broader cultural emphasis on collective activity, especially in the Chinese education system. From a young age, students are constantly instructed to 分组 for discussions (小组讨论, xiǎozǔ tǎolùn), projects, and problem-solving activities. This contrasts with some Western educational models that may place a stronger emphasis on individual work and thought. In China, the act of 分组 is a foundational practice for fostering cooperation (合作, hézuò) and harmony within a group. It's a pragmatic application of collectivist values, teaching that complex problems are often best solved together. The goal isn't just to complete the task, but to learn how to function effectively as part of a collective unit. So, while an American manager might say, “Let's brainstorm individually first,” a Chinese manager is more likely to start with, “我们先分一下组” (Wǒmen xiān fēn yīxià zǔ) - “Let's divide into groups first.”

分组 (fēnzǔ) is an extremely common and practical term used across various domains. It's almost always neutral in connotation.

• In the Classroom: This is the most common context for learners to encounter 分组. Teachers use it constantly to organize activities.
• At the Workplace: Managers use it to create project teams, task forces, or breakout sessions during a workshop.
• In Social Settings: Friends use it to form teams for games, sports, or even to decide who goes in which car.
• In Technology and Data: In IT, 分组 refers to grouping data, users, or permissions. For example, “数据分组” (shùjù fēnzǔ) means “data grouping.”

• Example 1:
  • 老师，请把我们分组进行讨论。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī, qǐng bǎ wǒmen fēnzǔ jìnxíng tǎolùn.
  • English: Teacher, please divide us into groups to have a discussion.
  • Analysis: A classic classroom sentence. Here, 分组 is used as a verb in a “把 (bǎ)” construction, which emphasizes the action's effect on the object (“us”).
• Example 2:
  • 我们需要分组完成这个项目。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào fēnzǔ wánchéng zhège xiàngmù.
  • English: We need to split into groups to finish this project.
  • Analysis: A common phrase in a work or academic setting. 分组 acts as a verb indicating the method for completing the project.
• Example 3:
  • 今天的分组不太公平，他们队有三个高手！
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de fēnzǔ bù tài gōngpíng, tāmen duì yǒu sān ge gāoshǒu!
  • English: Today's grouping wasn't very fair; their team has three experts!
  • Analysis: Here, 分组 is used as a noun, meaning “the act of grouping” or “the way the groups were made.”
• Example 4:
  • 玩游戏之前，我们先来分组吧。
  • Pinyin: Wán yóuxì zhīqián, wǒmen xiān lái fēnzǔ ba.
  • English: Before we play the game, let's divide into teams first.
  • Analysis: “来 (lái)” is often used informally to suggest starting an action, making “来分组 (lái fēnzǔ)” a very natural and common way to say “let's group up.”
• Example 5:
  • 经理按照每个人的特长进行了分组。
  • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ ànzhào měi ge rén de tècháng jìnxíng le fēnzǔ.
  • English: The manager grouped everyone according to their individual strengths.
  • Analysis: “进行分组 (jìnxíng fēnzǔ)” is a more formal way of saying “to carry out grouping.” It emphasizes the process.
• Example 6:
  • 自由分组，三个人一组。
  • Pinyin: Zìyóu fēnzǔ, sān ge rén yī zǔ.
  • English: Group up freely, three people per group.
  • Analysis: A common instruction. “自由 (zìyóu)” means “freely,” so students can choose their own group members. “一组 (yī zǔ)” means “one group.”
• Example 7:
  • 这次培训会把所有参与者分组，以便更好地交流。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì péixùn huì bǎ suǒyǒu cānyùzhě fēnzǔ, yǐbiàn gèng hǎo de jiāoliú.
  • English: This training session will divide all participants into groups to facilitate better communication.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the purpose of 分组 using “以便 (yǐbiàn),” which means “so that” or “in order to.”
• Example 8:
  • 在数据库中，我们可以按地区对客户进行分组。
  • Pinyin: Zài shùjùkù zhōng, wǒmen kěyǐ àn dìqū duì kèhù jìnxíng fēnzǔ.
  • English: In the database, we can group the customers by region.
  • Analysis: Shows the technical usage of 分组 in the context of data management.
• Example 9:
  • 分组的结果是什么？你在哪个组？
  • Pinyin: Fēnzǔ de jiéguǒ shì shénme? Nǐ zài nǎge zǔ?
  • English: What's the result of the grouping? Which group are you in?
  • Analysis: The first 分组 is a noun (“the grouping”), while the second “组 (zǔ)” refers to the resulting group itself. This highlights an important nuance.
• Example 10:
  • 咱们别吵了，分组比赛，输的请客！
  • Pinyin: Zánmen bié chǎo le, fēnzǔ bǐsài, shū de qǐngkè!
  • English: Let's stop arguing, let's split into teams and compete. The losers have to treat!
  • Analysis: A very colloquial and practical example among friends. 分组比赛 means “to group up and compete.”

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 分组 (fēnzǔ) and the actual group itself, 小组 (xiǎozǔ).

• 分组 (fēnzǔ): The action of creating groups, or the resulting arrangement. It's the process.
• 小组 (xiǎozǔ): The result of that action. It means “small group” and is the noun you use to refer to the group you are in.
• 团队 (tuánduì): A “team.” This implies a more formal, cohesive, and often longer-term unit with a shared, serious goal, like a professional sports team or a corporate department team.

Common Mistake: Saying “我在这个分组里” to mean “I am in this group.”

• Incorrect: 我在这个分组里。 (Wǒ zài zhège fēnzǔ lǐ.)
• Correct: 我在这个小组里。 (Wǒ zài zhège xiǎozǔ lǐ.)
• Why it's wrong: 分组 refers to the *arrangement* or *act of grouping*, not the entity of the group itself. You are “in a small group” (小组), not “in a grouping.”

Think of it like this: The teacher's instruction is 分组 (the action). The five students working together are a 小组 (the result).

• 小组 (xiǎo zǔ) - The “small group” that is formed after the action of 分组.
• 分类 (fēn lèi) - To classify, to categorize. This is about sorting things by type (e.g., sorting books by genre), not forming functional groups of people.
• 分配 (fēn pèi) - To assign, to distribute, to allocate. After you 分组, a leader might 分配 tasks to each member.
• 合作 (hé zuò) - To cooperate, to collaborate. This is usually the ultimate purpose of 分组.
• 团队 (tuán duì) - A team. More formal and long-term than a 小组. You wouldn't 分组 to form a company's marketing 团队.
• 成员 (chéng yuán) - A member (of a group, team, or organization).
• 集合 (jí hé) - To assemble, to gather. This is the opposite of 分组. Before a teacher says “分组,” they will first tell everyone to “集合.”
• 班 (bān) - A class of students. This is a pre-existing, larger group that is often the subject of a 分组 action.