纷 (fēn) is a Chinese character meaning “numerous and jumbled”. It is written from 纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 分 (to divide; a share), side by side, and takes 7 strokes.
Build the character for “numerous and confused”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
纟 + 分
Left–right structure
Structure from: 现代字形拆分，依 hanzi-writer-data 笔画分组核验（前3笔=纟，后4笔=分）
Memory aid
Silk threads (纟) that get divided (分) again and again — strands flying every which way, in profusion and confusion.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
7 strokes
In real words
- 纷纷fēn fēnone after another; in succession; in profusion纷 = fēn
- 纠纷jiū fēndispute; quarrel; entanglement纷 = fēn
Go deeper
All readings
numerous and confused
numerous and jumbled; in profusion; one after another; disorderly
多而杂乱；接二连三地。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 纷纷fēn fēnone after another; in succession; in profusion纷 = fēn
- 纠纷jiū fēndispute; quarrel; entanglement纷 = fēn
Sound component
分 family exact
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 纷 mean?
纷 (fēn) means numerous and jumbled; in profusion; one after another; disorderly.
How do you pronounce 纷?
It is pronounced fēn.
What parts is 纷 made of?
纟 (silk; thread (left-side form)) and 分 (to divide; a share), side by side. The recorded source is: 现代字形拆分，依 hanzi-writer-data 笔画分组核验（前3笔=纟，后4笔=分）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 纷 have?
7. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 纷?
糸. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 纷?
Common ones are 纷纷 and 纠纷. The reading of 纷 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.