Chinese Conversation · Level 74
90 words
Chinese word
分居
Pronunciation
Pinyinfēn jū
Meaning
- verblive apart
Example
他们因为工作原因暂时分居。tā men yīn wèi gōng zuò yuán yīn zàn shí fēn jū
They are temporarily living apart because of work.
More examples
虽然住在不同城市，但他们并未正式分居，仍然共同照顾孩子。suī rán zhù zài bù tóng chéng shì dàn tā men bìng wèi zhèng shì fēn jū réng rán gòng tóng zhào gù hái zi
Although they live in different cities, they have not formally begun living apart and still care for their children together.
Core concept
People in a relationship maintain different homes without ending the relationship.
Common phrases
暂时分居zàn shí fēn jū
temporarily live apart
夫妻分居fū qī fēn jū
husband and wife live apart
长期分居cháng qī fēn jū
live apart for a long time
Similar words
离婚lí hūn: Bringing a marriage to a legal end.
分手fēn shǒu: Bringing a romantic relationship to an end.
同居tóng jū: Sharing one home and living together.
分开fēn kāi: Separating people or things from each other.
Definition in Chinese
因工作、学业或家庭原因，夫妻或同居者在不同住所暂时或长期分别居住，通常仍保留婚姻或同居关系。yīn gōng zuò xué yè huò jiā tíng yuán yīn fū qī huò tóng jū zhě zài bù tóng zhù suǒ zàn shí huò cháng qī fēn bié jū zhù tōng cháng réng bǎo liú hūn yīn huò tóng jū guān xì
Word origin
The compound 分居 (fēnjū, "live apart") combines 分 (fēn, "separate") with 居 (jū, "reside"), directly linking separation with residence rather than with the relationship itself.
Usage tips
- The word commonly appears with a stated reason, such as work, study, or family needs, when context does not already explain the arrangement.