How to use 分之
Denominator + 分之 + Numerator
Chinese fractions name the total number of equal parts before naming how many parts are taken. Put the denominator before 分之 and the numerator after it. This reverses the order an English speaker may expect when reading a fraction aloud. Percentages follow the same system, with 百 establishing a denominator of one hundred.
A fraction can describe how much of an action is complete or modify a noun with 的. To compare quantities, identify the whole clearly so the reader knows what the fraction refers to. The verb 占 introduces a share that something accounts for, while 是 can state one quantity as a fraction of another.
Examples with pinyin and English
我的手机电量只有百分之五了。
My phone only has 5% power left.
这个文件已经下载了三分之二。
This document is two-thirds downloaded.
这篇文章有五分之三是抄别人的。
Three fifths of this article has been copied from others.
差不多三分之一的美国人有护照。
About one third of Americans have passports.
What to remember
- Say the denominator first.
- 百分之 introduces a percentage.
- Make the reference whole clear.
Practise the pattern
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.