Chinese word

分针

Pronunciation

Pinyinfēn zhēn

Meaning

  • nounminute hand

Example

时针和分针一起走。shí zhēn hé fēn zhēn yì qǐ zǒu

The hour hand and minute hand move together.

Illustration for 分针 (minute hand)

More examples

请看分针，现在是半点。qǐng kàn fēn zhēn xiàn zài shì bàn diǎn

Please look at the minute hand; it is now half past the hour.

Core concept

The slim pointer that sweeps around the dial and marks each passing minute.

Common phrases

  • 看分针kàn fēn zhēn

    watch the minute hand

  • 分针 指向12点fēn zhēn zhǐ xiàng 12 diǎn

    minute hand points to 12

  • 分针 转动fēn zhēn zhuǎn dòng

    minute hand rotates

  • 分针 停在6点fēn zhēn tíng zài 6 diǎn

    minute hand stops at 6

Similar words

时针shí zhēn: The short, thick hand on a clock face that shows the hour.
指针zhǐ zhēn: A hand on a clock face or instrument that points to a scale reading.
秒针miǎo zhēn: The thin hand that moves quickly around a clock face and shows the seconds.

Definition in Chinese

表示钟表上指示分钟的指针，从表盘中心伸出，绕表盘一圈为60分钟。biǎo shì zhōng biǎo shàng zhǐ shì fēn zhōng de zhǐ zhēn cóng biǎo pán zhōng xīn shēn chū rào biǎo pán yì quān wèi 60 fēn zhōng

Word origin

分 (fēn, "minute") + 针 (zhēn, "needle") forms a compound meaning the needle that indicates minutes.

Usage tips

  • In everyday time-telling, Chinese pairs the hour with 点 (diǎn, "o'clock") and often uses 半 (bàn, "half") for half past, while exact readings name the minutes.

Opposites

Word lists with this word