分开 in Context

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分开

Usage 1 - "to separate, to part ways": 

Sentence

我们分开后很久没有见面了。

English:

After we parted ways we went ages without seeing each other. 

Top-Down Words:

 久 jiǔ - for a long time

Sentence

我们分开吧。 

English:

Let’s separate. 

Top-Down Words:

吧 ba - (particle expressing suggestion) 

Sentence

我和父母分开很长时间了。

English:

I’ve been separated from my parents for a long time now.

*Sentence

为什么你们一见面就要分开了呢？

English:

Why did you guys split up so soon after you met？

Top-Down Words:

就 jiù - (grammatical particle) in this case meaning “as soon as” or “right after”.
呢 ne - softened tone of questions

Need a Reminder?

The Six Steps to Learning Words

Understanding Chinese Words - Morphemes

3 Questions About Words

Member Comments from 2019-mid-2020

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William Edmeades

Isn't "我们分开后很久没有见面了" supposed to be "We parted ways after a long time not seeing each other"? Or is there something I'm missing?

Georg Lohrer

Don't think so. Afaik 后 indicates that the detail mentioned before has happened and after that the detail mentioned after 后 happened.

Mandarin Blueprint

Hey William, George is right.

The sentence breaks down as:

我们·分开·后---
很久·没有·见面·了

After we parted, we went a long time without seeing one another.

---

Kim Krings 

Does this only relate to relationships and people? Or could this refer to the separation of physical parts?

Mandarin Blueprint

It can also be physical. Check the mobile app "Pleco" for quick example sentences, it's great for questions like this!

MB Team

This is where Luke and Phil talked about your question in the Mandarin Blueprint Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYhT1gXaDNM&t=1948s