fēnshù: 分数 - Score, Grade, Fraction

• Keywords: fenshu, fēnshù, 分数, Chinese for score, Chinese for grade, Chinese for fraction, exam score in Chinese, math fraction in Chinese, HSK 3, Chinese education
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese word 分数 (fēnshù), a term with two key meanings: an academic score or grade on a test, and a mathematical fraction. This page breaks down its cultural importance in China's high-stakes education system, explains how to use it in conversation, and clarifies the difference between an exam score and a sports score.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fēnshù
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A numerical score on a test or assignment; or, a number that represents a part of a whole (a fraction).
• In a Nutshell: 分数 (fēnshù) is a word you'll hear constantly in any discussion about school in China. It's the number that represents your performance—your grade, your mark, your score. For students, parents, and teachers, it's a source of immense pride or pressure. Separately, in a math class, 分数 is simply the word for a “fraction” like 1/2 or 3/4. The context makes the meaning perfectly clear.

• 分 (fēn): This character's primary meaning is “to divide,” “part,” “portion,” or “point.” Think of dividing a whole into parts, or assigning points for a test.
• 数 (shù): This character means “number” or “figure.”

When combined, 分数 (fēnshù) literally means “divided number” or “point number.” This single origin perfectly explains both of its meanings: a “divided number” is a fraction, and a “point number” is a score.

In Chinese culture, 分数 (fēnshù) is far more than just a number on a piece of paper; it's a powerful symbol of a student's diligence, a family's honor, and a child's future prospects. The entire education system is heavily geared towards standardized testing, culminating in the infamous 高考 (gāokǎo), the national college entrance exam. A student's 分数 on this single test can determine which university they can attend, and by extension, their entire career path. This intense focus on scores can be contrasted with the more “holistic” approach often advocated in Western education, where extracurricular activities, essays, and interviews can play a larger role in university admissions. In China, while this is changing slowly, the 分数 has traditionally been the single most important metric. This creates a culture of “唯分数论” (wéi fēnshù lùn) — the theory that “only scores matter.” This societal pressure means that a child's 分数 is a frequent topic of conversation among relatives and a source of significant stress for students from a very young age. Achieving a high 分数 is seen as a way of showing filial piety, rewarding the sacrifices of one's parents.

You will encounter 分数 in two primary settings: 1. Education and Academics: This is the most common usage. It's used formally by teachers and informally among students and family.

• Connotation: Can be very positive (for a high score) or very negative (for a low score). It's a word loaded with emotion.
• Usage: “你的数学分数是多少？” (What was your math score?), “这次考试我拿到了很高的分数。” (I got a very high score on this exam.)

2. Mathematics: In a math context, 分数 is a neutral, technical term.

• Connotation: Neutral.
• Usage: “今天我们学习怎么加减分数。” (Today we're learning how to add and subtract fractions.)

• Example 1:
• 这次考试我的分数很高，妈妈很高兴。
• Pinyin: Zhè cì kǎoshì wǒ de fēnshù hěn gāo, māma hěn gāoxìng.
• English: My score on this exam was very high, and my mom is very happy.
• Analysis: A classic example of 分数 used as “score.” Note the direct link between the score and a parent's happiness, reflecting its cultural importance.
• Example 2:
• 老师，这道题的分数是多少？
• Pinyin: Lǎoshī, zhè dào tí de fēnshù shì duōshǎo?
• English: Teacher, how many points is this question worth?
• Analysis: Here, 分数 refers to the points allocated to a specific question on a test.
• Example 3:
• 在中国，高考的分数几乎可以决定你的未来。
• Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, gāokǎo de fēnshù jīhū kěyǐ juédìng nǐ de wèilái.
• English: In China, your Gaokao score can almost decide your future.
• Analysis: This sentence highlights the immense cultural weight placed on 分数 in the context of the college entrance exam.
• Example 4:
• 数学课上，我们学习了如何把小数变成分数。
• Pinyin: Shùxué kè shàng, wǒmen xuéxí le rúhé bǎ xiǎoshù biànchéng fēnshù.
• English: In math class, we learned how to turn decimals into fractions.
• Analysis: A clear example of 分数 used in its mathematical sense, “fraction.” The context of “数学课” (math class) makes the meaning unambiguous.
• Example 5:
• 他的期末分数不太理想。
• Pinyin: Tā de qīmò fēnshù bú tài lǐxiǎng.
• English: His final exam scores weren't very ideal.
• Analysis: “不太理想 (bú tài lǐxiǎng)” is a common, slightly softer way of saying a score is “not good.”
• Example 6:
• 蛋糕的四分之一是一个分数。
• Pinyin: Dàngāo de sì fēn zhī yī shì yí ge fēnshù.
• English: One-fourth of the cake is a fraction.
• Analysis: This sentence explicitly defines a common part-of-a-whole concept as a 分数.
• Example 7:
• 别只关心分数，学习过程更重要。
• Pinyin: Bié zhǐ guānxīn fēnshù, xuéxí guòchéng gèng zhòngyào.
• English: Don't only care about the score; the learning process is more important.
• Analysis: This reflects a more modern, holistic educational philosophy, often said to comfort a student or argue against the intense focus on grades.
• Example 8:
• 这次考试的及格分数是六十分。
• Pinyin: Zhè cì kǎoshì de jígé fēnshù shì liùshí fēn.
• English: The passing score for this exam is 60 points.
• Analysis: Shows how 分数 is used with other key academic terms like 及格 (jígé - to pass).
• Example 9:
• 为了得到更高的分数，他每天学习到深夜。
• Pinyin: Wèile dédào gèng gāo de fēnshù, tā měitiān xuéxí dào shēnyè.
• English: In order to get a higher score, he studies late into the night every day.
• Analysis: This sentence illustrates the direct cause-and-effect relationship between effort and the goal of a high 分数.
• Example 10:
• 你能把三又二分之一这个带分数写成假分数吗？
• Pinyin: Nǐ néng bǎ sān yòu èr fēn zhī yī zhè ge dài fēnshù xiě chéng jiǎ fēnshù ma?
• English: Can you write the mixed fraction three and a half as an improper fraction?
• Analysis: A more advanced mathematical example, showing how 分数 can be modified by other characters to specify types of fractions (带分数 - mixed fraction, 假分数 - improper fraction).

The most critical mistake for a learner is confusing an academic 分数 with a sports score. They are not interchangeable.

• 分数 (fēnshù): Use for tests, exams, assignments, points on a quiz.
• 比分 (bǐfēn): Use for the score of a sports game or competition (e.g., 2-1 in soccer).

Incorrect Usage: `昨晚篮球比赛的分数是多少？` (Zuówǎn lánqiú bǐsài de fēnshù shì duōshǎo?)

• Reasoning: This is wrong because a basketball game is a competition, not an academic test. Listeners would understand you, but it would sound unnatural.

Correct Usage: `昨晚篮球比赛的比分是多少？` (Zuówǎn lánqiú bǐsài de bǐfēn shì duōshǎo?)

• Translation: What was the score of the basketball game last night?

• 成绩 (chéngjì) - Overall academic results or achievements. Broader than a single 分数, it can refer to a semester's grades or one's entire academic record.
• 比分 (bǐfēn) - The score in a sports match or game. The correct term to use instead of 分数 in a competitive context.
• 得分 (défēn) - To score points (a verb phrase), or the points that were scored. You 得分 to get a high 分数.
• 满分 (mǎnfēn) - A perfect score, full marks. The ultimate goal for any student taking a test.
• 及格 (jígé) - To pass (an exam). The minimum acceptable outcome.
• 高考 (gāokǎo) - The National College Entrance Examination, the single most important test where 分数 determines a student's fate.
• 百分之 (bǎifēnzhī) - Percent (e.g., 百分之五十, bǎifēnzhī wǔshí = 50%). Conceptually related to 分数 as a part of a whole.
• 分子 (fēnzǐ) - Numerator (the top number in a fraction).
• 分母 (fēnmǔ) - Denominator (the bottom number in a fraction).