Definitions

(noun) part; section; division
(noun) department; ministry
(noun) troops; military unit
(classifier) classifier for literary works; films; machines

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⻏ represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 部 is a phono-semantic compound, with 咅 on the left providing the phonetic element and 阝 on the right serving as the semantic radical. 阝 is a variant of 邑, which means a city or region, indicating a connection to geographical divisions. This originally referred to the partitioning of land, settlements, or tribal domains. Over time, the meaning extended from physical boundaries to organizational structures, so 部 now commonly denotes ministries, government departments, corporate divisions, or general parts of a whole, and it functions as a measure word for films and books.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这是我的一分。

Zhè shì wǒ de yī bùfen.

This is part of me.

他在销售门工作。

Tā zài xiāoshòu bùmén gōngzuò.

He works in the sales department.

公司内有严格规定。

Gōngsī nèibù yǒu yángé guīdìng.

The company has strict internal regulations.

因素影响结果。

Wàibù yīnsù yǐngxiǎng jiéguǒ.

External factors affect the outcome.

我全准备好了。

Wǒ quánbù zhǔnbèi hǎo le.

I am fully prepared.

队正在执行任务。

Bùduì zhèngzài zhíxíng rènwù.

The troops are carrying out a mission.

我们需要署新策略。

Wǒmen xūyào bùshǔ xīn cèlüè.

We need to deploy a new strategy.

这个门的全项目都必须经过内审核。

Zhège bùmén de quánbù xiàngmù dōu bìxū jīngguò nèibù shěnhé.

All projects of this department must undergo internal review.