Meaning and Usage
"部分" (ぶぶん) means "part," "portion," or "section." It is used to refer to a segment or piece of a whole object, text, or concept. This word is common in both everyday and formal contexts.
Common Contexts
You will often see "部分" used when talking about parts of physical objects (like machines or books), sections of documents, or abstract parts of ideas.
Collocations and Patterns
- 部分が壊れる (ぶぶんがこわれる): a part breaks
- 一部分 (いちぶぶん): a certain part or portion
- 部分的に (ぶぶんてきに): partially
Register and Nuance
"部分" is neutral in formality and can be used in both casual and formal speech. It is more specific than general words like "ところ" (place) when referring to parts of something.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "部分" with "全部" (ぜんぶ, whole) or "一部" (いちぶ, a part). Note that "一部分" emphasizes a certain part, while "部分" alone can refer to any part. Use "一部分" when you want to specify a particular segment.