Japanese word

分散

Pronunciation

Romajibunsan

Meaning

  • nounspread

Example

参加者が分散しています。san ka sha ga bun san shi te i ma su

The participants are spread out.

Illustration for 分散 (spread)

More examples

作業を分散すると、一人にかかる負担を減らせます。sa gyō o bun san su ru to hito ri ni ka ka ru fu tan o he ra se ma su

Distributing the work can reduce the burden on one person.

Core concept

Presents a gathered whole as spreading outward across separate locations, groups, or parts.

Common phrases

  • 負担の分散fu tan no bun san

    distribution of the burden

  • 業務の分散gyō mu no bun san

    distribution of work

  • リスクの分散ri su ku no bun san

    risk diversification

Similar words

分布bunpu: The way people or things are arranged across different places or areas.
分配bunpai: The act of dividing something among several people or groups.

Definition in Japanese

まとまっている人や物事が、複数の場所や集団に分かれて広がること。ma to ma tte i ru hito ya mono goto ga fuku sū no ba sho ya shū dan ni wa ka re te hiro ga ru ko to

Word origin

分散 (bunsan) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 分 (bun, "divide") and 散 (san, "scatter"), matching the idea of dividing and spreading apart.

Usage tips

  • When people move apart, English commonly uses spread out, but when resources, data, or services are allocated across areas, distribution is often the more natural choice.

Other meanings

  • distributionnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 分散化bunsankadecentralizationnoun
  • 分散度bunsandodegree of dispersionnoun

Word lists with this word