核心畫面

One way to picture it: a whole thing has been broken apart, and you are holding just one of the pieces — not the whole, only a part of it.

本來完整的一個東西被切開了,你手上拿的只是其中一塊——不是全部,只是全部裡的一份。這個字的兩個意思都從這一塊碎片長出更多收起本來完整的一個東西被切開了,你手上拿的只是其中一塊——不是全部,只是全部裡的一份。這個字的兩個意思都從這一塊碎片長出來:一邊是數學上規規矩矩寫下來的那一份(1/2、3/4),一邊是日常說話時「只有一丁點」的那一小塊。

From the word’s history

From Latin fractio "a breaking", related to fracture and fragile — the word literally names the act of breaking, and then the piece that breaking leaves behind.

這個字來自拉丁文 fractio「打破」,跟 fracture(骨折、斷裂)、fragile(易碎的)是同一家人。也就是說 fraction 字面上先是「打破這件事」,然後才變成「打破之後剩下的那一塊」。知道這條線之後,數學課本上的「分數」就不再是死背的術語了——分數就是把一整個切開之後,你拿走的那幾塊。

The entry's origin note: Middle English fraccioun ("a breaking") ← Old French fraccion ← Medieval Latin fractio ("a fragment, portion").

One branch

整體被切開後的一份

數學上的用法是這個畫面最原始、最看得見的形態;日常那個「一小部分」是同一個畫面被拿來講份量。

maths fraction · noun · C2

A part of a whole number in maths, written with one number over another, such as 1/2 or 3/4.

分數

原始詞典資料9 筆記錄

以下是外部詞典記錄的用法,原文照列,我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的;有些用法可能上面已經講過了。

Fractionname

  • 1

    A surname.

fractionnoun/ˈfɹæk.ʃən/

  • 1

    A part of a whole, especially a comparatively small part.

    • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get[…]
  • 2

    arithmeticA ratio of two numbers (numerator and denominator), usually written one above the other and separated by a horizontal bar called the vinculum or, alternatively, in sequence on the same line and separated by a solidus (diagonal bar).

    • Gasoline prices show the mill as a fraction, for example $3.59+⁹⁄₁₀.
  • 3

    chemistrynatural-sciencesphysical-sciencesA component of a mixture, separated by fractionation.

  • 4

    ChristianityIn a eucharistic service, the breaking of the host.

    • […] The bread, when it is consecrated and made sacramental, is the body of our Lord; and the fraction and distribution of it is the communication of that body, which died for us upon the cross.
  • 5

    A small amount.

    • I had occasion […] to make a somewhat long business trip to Chicago, and on my return […] I found Farrar awaiting me in the railway station. He smiled his wonted fraction by way of greeting, […], and finally leading me to his buggy, turned and drove out of town.
    • After kick-off was delayed because of crowd congestion, Torquay went closest to scoring in a cagey opening 30 minutes, when Danny Stevens saw a fierce shot from the edge of the area swerve a fraction wide.
  • 6

    archaicThe act of breaking, or state of being broken, especially by violence.

    • Neither can the natural body of Christ be subject to any fraction or breaking.

fractionverb/ˈfɹæk.ʃən/

  • 1

    To divide or break into fractions.

  • 2

    To fractionate.

資料來源:英文維基詞典 English WiktionaryCC BY-SA 4.0)。 原文照列,未經改寫。