Chinese word

天分

Pronunciation

Pinyintiān fèn

Meaning

  • nountalent

Example

他在音乐上有天分。tā zài yīn yuè shàng yǒu tiān fèn

He has a talent for music.

Illustration for 天分 (talent)

More examples

她在绘画方面展现出天分。tā zài huì huà fāng miàn zhǎn xiàn chū tiān fèn

She shows talent in painting.

Core concept

An inborn readiness for a particular skill that appears with limited practice.

Common phrases

  • 有天分yǒu tiān fèn

    have talent

  • 缺乏天分quē fá tiān fèn

    lack talent

  • 在绘画上有天分zài huì huà shàng yǒu tiān fèn

    have talent in painting

Similar words

天赋tiān fù: An innate ability or outstanding quality that appears naturally.
才能cái néng: An ability shown in work or art that can grow through effort and practice.
潜力qián lì: Ability or promise that is not yet clear but may grow in the future.
资质zī zhì: Inborn qualities that provide a foundation for developing a particular ability.

Definition in Chinese

先天分配给个人的能力或素质，通常指即使没有大量训练也能表现出来的才能。xiān tiān fèn pèi jǐ gè rén de néng lì huò sù zhì tōng cháng zhǐ jí shǐ méi yǒu dà liàng xùn liàn yě néng biǎo xiàn chū lái de cái néng

Word origin

The compound 天分 (tiānfèn, "talent") joins the image of heaven with a person's allotted share, linking ability to an inborn personal quality.

Usage tips

  • When discussing music, languages, or another skill, this word helps distinguish natural ability from results that mainly come from training.

Other meanings

  • aptitudenoun

Opposites

  • 庸才yōng cáimediocre personnoun

Word lists with this word