The difference between 分别 and 分开

分别

The adverb 分别

has the meaning “separately”. In a sentence, it is placed before a predicate.

Examples

现在我来分别回答你们的问题

Now let me answer your questions separately

xiànzài wǒ lái fēnbié huídá nǐmen de wèntí

我能否一件一件地分别付钱？

Can I pay for each item separately?

wǒ néng fǒu yí jiàn yí jiàn de fēnbié fùqián

即使父母不再共同生活，他们也要分别对子女负责

Even if parents no longer live together, they are still personally responsible for their children

jíshǐ fùmǔ bú zài gòngtóng shēnghuó, tāmen yě yào fēnbié duì zǐnǚ fùzé

The verb 分别

is used to talk about separation of people.

Examples

他们已分别多年了

They’ve been apart for years

tāmen yǐ fēnbié duō nián le

他们分别时又是流泪，又是拥抱

Before they parted, they cried and hugged

tāmen fēnbié shí yòu shì liúlèi, yòu shì yǒngbào

分开

The adverb 分开

emphasizes physical separation. It is placed before a verb.

Examples

生肉和熟肉必须分开存放

Raw and boiled meat must be kept separate

shēngròu hé shúròu bìxū fēnkāi cúnfàng

大件物品将分开收集

Large items will be collected separately

dà jiàn wùpǐn jiāng fēnkāi shōují

The verb 分开 has the meaning “to part”, “to separate”.

Examples

人群在他们面前分开了

The crowd parted before them

rénqún zài tāmen miànqián fēnkāi le

命运使朋友们分开了

Fate parted the friends

mìngyùn shǐ péngyoumen fēnkāi le

分开 also has the meaning “to leave”.

Pay attention

In this meaning, 分开 and 分别 are interchangeable.

Examples

我不愿与孩子们分开

I don’t want to leave my children

wǒ bú yuàn yǔ háizimen fēnkāi

我不愿与孩子们分别

I don’t want to leave my children

wǒ bú yuàn yǔ háizimen fēnbié

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