To divide or split a whole into parts; to separate or classify items or groups.
ケーキを四つに分けて、みんなで食べた。
We cut the cake into four pieces and everyone ate some.
データを種類ごとに分けて保存してください。
Please separate and save the data by category.
教室の生徒を三つのグループに分ける。
Divide the students in the classroom into three groups.
To share or distribute things (money, goods, etc.) among people; to deal out.
先生はお菓子を生徒たちに分けた。
The teacher handed out sweets to the students.
賞金をチームで分けることにした。
We decided to split the prize money among the team.
遺産は兄弟で平等に分けられた。
The inheritance was divided equally among the siblings.
To distinguish or differentiate between things; to classify by recognizing differences.
事実と意見をはっきり分けて話してください。
Please speak clearly, separating facts from opinions.
猫と犬を見た目で分けるのは簡単だ。
It's easy to tell cats and dogs apart by appearance.
仕事と私生活をきちんと分けることは大切だ。
It's important to properly separate work and private life.
To break up a fight or mediate between people; to separate conflicting parties or intervene to settle a dispute.
先生が子供たちのけんかを分けに入った。
The teacher stepped in and broke up the children's fight.
友人同士のトラブルを第三者が分けた。
A third person intervened to mediate the dispute between friends.
警察は揉め事を分けて現場を落ち着かせた。
The police separated those involved and calmed the scene.
To call a draw; to finish a contest without a winner (used in sports/games).
昨日の試合は0対0で分けた。
Yesterday's match ended in a 0–0 draw.
両者は互角で、勝敗を分けることはできなかった。
The two were evenly matched and couldn't be separated; it was a draw.
To push one's way through a crowd; to make a path through people or objects.
駅の改札まで人混みを分けて進んだ。
I pushed my way through the crowd to the ticket gate.
母は子供を抱えて人ごみを分けた。
The mother carried her child and made her way through the crowd.
通路を分けて奥へ進んだ。
I parted the people in the aisle and moved further inside.
To sell or distribute goods (classical/rare usage); sometimes written with the kanji 頒ける.
祭りで手作りの小物を頒けた（分けて売った）。
At the festival, handmade trinkets were distributed/sold.