吩

A phono-semantic compound composed of:

口 (mouth) — semantic component, indicating speech or verbal action

分 (to divide; to distribute) — phonetic component

The original idea behind 吩 is speech that distributes or assigns matters—that is, giving verbal instructions that divide tasks or responsibilities among people. The semantic element 口 emphasizes spoken communication, while 分 contributes both sound and the notion of allocation.

吩咐 (분부하다) — to instruct; to give orders; to assign tasks

This compound combines:

吩 — the act of giving verbal instructions

咐 — entrusting or assigning something through speech

Together, they form a fixed expression meaning to give instructions with authority or responsibility.

Example:

他吩咐部下立刻行动。 — He instructed his subordinates to act immediately.

吩 is rarely, if ever, used as a standalone word in modern Chinese.

Its function is primarily as a bound morpheme in 吩咐.

Outside this compound, 吩 appears mainly in classical or lexical explanations, not in everyday speech.

吩咐 often implies:

- a hierarchical relationship

- a sense of responsibility or obligation

- spoken, direct instruction rather than written orders

Compared with:

命令 (command): stronger, more formal, often institutional

指示 (instruction): neutral, procedural

吩咐: personal, spoken, authoritative but not necessarily harsh

Related characters:

咐 — to entrust verbally; to instruct

令 — command; order

命 — mandate; decree

嘱 — to enjoin; to urge seriously