名分或位分。在一定的秩序之中，事物與他者相區(qū)別的屬性、狀態(tài)及其限度，被稱為“分”?！胺帧睒?biāo)志著事物自身的特質(zhì)，也決定著與他者相區(qū)分的界限，如天人之分、公私之分、死生之分等。“分”或源自自然的規(guī)則，或取決于人為的命名與規(guī)范。就事物或人天生的本性而言，有所謂“性分”之稱。而在人倫秩序之中，特定身份所具有的職責(zé)，則被稱為“職分”。

This may be used to describe either social status or precedence in seniority. In a specific system, or order, it is used to refer to the natural attributes and limitations that differentiate one thing from another. It projects the distinct quality of one thing and at the same time draws the line that marks its difference from others, such as the attributes that differentiate heaven from man, between private and public, and between life and death. It can derive from either natural law or designated titles or standards. As far as the innate character of objects or people is concerned, the term xingfen (性分) is used, meaning "different characters between different objects or people." In human relations, the responsibility for different people of social status is called zhifen (職分), meaning the special quality that distinguishes one person's responsibility from that of another.

引例 Citations：

◎夫名多不當(dāng)（dànɡ）其實(shí)，而事多不當(dāng)其用者，故人主不可以不審名分也。（《呂氏春秋·審分（fèn）》）

事物的名號(hào)多與其指稱的事物不符，而所行之事也多與其目標(biāo)的功用不匹配，因此君主不可以不審查事物的名分。

Many names and titles do not accord with the things they are supposed to represent, and the tasks they carry out do not match what they are supposed to attain. A sovereign ruler must therefore check to ensure all names and titles accord with their attributes. (Master Lyu's Spring and Autumn Annals)

◎天性所受，各有本分，不可逃，亦不可加。（郭象《莊子注》卷二）

人和事物所稟受的天性，各有各的內(nèi)容與限度，不能夠逃避，也不能夠改變。

People and objects each have their own natural attributes and limitations, which they cannot ignore or alter. (Guo Xiang: Annotations on Zhuangzi)

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供稿：北京外國(guó)語大學(xué) 外語教學(xué)與研究出版社

責(zé)任編輯：錢耐安