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Level

[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Expressing "multiples" with "bei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22multiples%22_with_%22bei%22) (B1)

Used for

[Expressing quantity](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_quantity)

Keywords

[分之](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%88%86%E4%B9%8B)

分之 (fēn zhī) is used to form a fraction in Chinese. When expressing a fraction, the denominator is always said before the numerator. This pattern is also the way percentages are expressed in Chinese. So "½" is read 二分之一 (èr fēn zhī yī), literally "1 of 2 portions." Note the order: it's *NOT* 一分之二 (yī fēn zhī èr). So "¾" is 四分之三 (sì fēn zhī sān), and "⅚" is 六分之五 (liù fēn zhī wǔ). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí), which is literally the same as how you would pronounce the equivalent fraction "50 hundredths."

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Basic Pattern](#Basic_Pattern "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Advanced Pattern](#Advanced_Pattern "wikilink") - [2.1 Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink") - [2.2 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Basic Pattern ----------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure

Denominator + 分之 + Numerator

Remember that the *denominator* is the *bottom* number in a fraction, but it comes *first* in spoken Chinese. ### Examples

- 我的手机电量只有百 *分之* 五了。Wǒ de shǒujī diànliàng zhǐ yǒu bǎi *fēn zhī* wǔ le.My phone only has 5% power left. - 这个文件已经下载了三 *分之* 二。Zhège wénjiàn yǐjīng xiàzǎi le sān *fēn zhī* èr.This document is two-thirds downloaded. - 这篇文章有五 *分之* 三是抄别人的。Zhè piān wénzhāng yǒu wǔ *fēn zhī* sān shì chāo biérén de.Three fifths of this article has been copied from others. - 差不多三 *分之* 一的美国人有护照。Chàbuduō sān *fēn zhī* yī de Měiguó rén yǒu hùzhào.About one third of Americans have passports. - 我们学校四 *分之* 三的老师都是男老师。Wǒmen xuéxiào sì *fēn zhī* sān de lǎoshī dōu shì nán lǎoshī.Three fourths of the teachers at our school are male teachers.

Advanced Pattern ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure This structure is what you'll often see in news stories that use statistics. The word 占 (zhàn) is a bit more formal, and means something like "comprises" or "makes up" or "accounts for."

A + 是 / 占 + B + 的 + Denominator + 分之 + Numerator

### Examples

- 我们公司的外国员工 **占** 三 *分之* 一。Wǒmen gōngsī de wàiguó yuángōng **zhàn** sān *fēn zhī* yī.One third of our company's employees are foreigners. - 美国人口 **是** 中国的五 *分之* 一。Měiguó rénkǒu **shì** Zhōngguó de wǔ *fēn zhī* yī.America's population is one fifth of China's. - 押金 **是** 房租的百 *分之* 二十。Yājīnyào **shì** fángzū de *bǎifēn zhī* èrshí.The deposit is 20% of the rent. - 期末考试成绩 **占** 总成绩的百 *分之* 三十。 Qīmò kǎoshì chéngjì **zhàn** zǒng chéngjì de bǎi *fēn zhī* sānshí.The final exam grade accounts for 30% of the final grade. - 在美国，全职妈妈差不多 **占** 五 *分之* 二。Zài Měiguó, quánzhí māma chàbuduō **zhàn** wǔ *fēn zhī* èr.In the US, full-time mothers are about two fifths of all mothers.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition) (pp. 18) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2h67UYa) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)) (pp. 152-3) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X)

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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