分支
fēn zhī · HSK 7
branch
🌿 分 (divide) + 支 (limb) = a limb that divides off — a branch
Think of a tree trunk splitting into smaller limbs. 分 means to divide or separate, 支 means a limb or offshoot. Together they describe anything that forks away from a main body — river tributaries, company divisions, code branches.
分 — knife 刀 + eight 八 (split apart)
分 originally depicted a knife (刀) cutting something into two parts, shown by 八 above (which itself meant 'divide'). The core sense is 'to divide' or 'split', from which extended meanings like 'portion', 'minute', and 'part' developed. Pronounced fèn, it carries the sense of an allotted share.
支 — hand 又 holding a branch 十
Originally a pictograph showing a hand (又) holding a branch broken from a tree, depicting the act of supporting or propping something up. From this came meanings like 'branch,' 'to support,' and 'to pay out.' It also serves as a phonetic component in characters like 枝 (branch) and 技 (skill).