Correct

区别 vs 分别

/ qūbié vs fēnbié /
Strokes

Formula

1
加以区别
2
区别对待 (treat respectively)
3
区别处理 (handle respectively)

Definition

区别 and 分别 both as Verb or Noun, which means [distinguish; difference].

Example

区别 and 分别, both verbs means "to compare two or more things to find the difference between them".
The verbs 区别 and 分别 are usually interchangeable, but 区别 always means "to find out the difference after study or comparison (sometimes 加以 can be added)"; 分别 is more general.
加以区别
1
néng
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
zhè
liǎng
de
si
意思
ma
  
?

Can you tell the difference between the two words meanings?

2
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
chū
zhè
liǎng
zhòng
cǎo
yǒu
shénme
什么
tóng
不同
  

I cannot tell the difference between the two species of grass.

3
xiàzi
下子
jiù
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
chū
le
zhè
zhǒng
gōngpǐn
工艺品
de
chǎn
产地
  

He identified the origin places of these crafts in an instant.

4
Duìdài
对待
men
他们
de
cuò
错误
  
,
yìng
gēn
根据
具体
qíngxing
情形
fēnbié
分别
  
(
bié
区别
  
)
duìdài
对待
  

We should deal with their mistakes respectively according to their nature.

区分 is used for a process of analysis and study is needed; 分别 is not used.
5
chéng
继承
dài
古代
de
wénxué
文学
chǎn
遗产
  
,
dìng
一定
yào
bié
区别
jīnghuá
精华
zāo
糟粕
  

When inheriting the ancient literature heritages, it is necessary for us to distinguish their essence and dross.

6
Zhè
liǎng
zhǒng
shì
事物
de
xìngzhì
性质
  
,
men
我们
dìng
一定
yào
bié
区别
kāi
  

We must distinguish the natures of the two things.

7
Duì
chūfàn
初犯
guàntōu
惯偷
dìng
一定
yào
jiā
加以
bié
区别
  

We must distinguish first offenders and habitual thieves.

分别 means "one by one".
8
Lǎoshī
老师
fēnbié
分别
zhǎo
xiǎozhāng
小张
xiǎo
小李
tán
le
huà
  

The teacher had a word with Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li respectively.

9
Duì
men
他们
chū
提出
de
ge
wèn
问题
yào
fēnbié
分别
jìnxíng
进行
chǔ
处理
  

Their questions should be solved respectively.

分别 means "each; respective".
10
毕业
hòu
  
,
tóngxué
同学
men
fēnbié
分别
zǒu
shàng
le
自己
de
gōngzuò
工作
gǎngwèi
岗位
  

After graduation,the students worked at their own work.

11
Zhè
这次
qiú
足球
sài
比赛
  
,
bān
èr
bān
fēnbié
分别
huò
获得
guànjūn
冠军
jūn
亚军
  

Class One and Class Two won the first and second place of the football match respectively.

区别 means "to solve a problem or do something with a different attitude or method".
区别对待 (treat respectively) 区别处理 (handle respectively)
12
Zhè
liǎng
wèn
问题
xìngzhì
性质
tóng
不同
  
,
yìng
bié
区别
duìdài
对待
  

The two problems differ in nature, so they should be handled in different way.

13
Xiǎowáng
小王
xiǎo
小李
suǒ
fàn
de
cuò
错误
qīngzhòng
轻重
tóng
不同
  
,
yào
bié
区别
chǔ
处理
  

The mistakes made by Xiao Li and Xiao Wang are different,so they should be dealt with differently.

The verb 分别 also means "to depart; to be separated", while 区别 has no such meaning.
14
men
我们
fēnbié
分别
le
liǎng
nián
le
  

We parted for two years.

15
cóng
自从
fēnbié
分别
hòu
以后
  
,
men
他们
méiyǒu
没有
lián
联系
guò
  

After their departure, there was no contact between them.

区别 and 分别 are also nouns meaning "difference" and are interchangeable.
16
kàn
chū
zhè
zhī
yǒu
shénme
什么
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
  

I cannot identify the differences among the pens.

17
juéde
觉得
zhè
liǎng
gōu
huà
de
si
意思
méiyǒu
没有
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
  

I think there's no difference between the meanings of the two sentences.

18
Xīn
jiù
cāozuò
操作
fāng
方法
bié
区别
  
(
fēnbié
分别
  
)
hěn
  

There are a lot of differences between the new operation and the old one.

When applied to entirely or greatly different things, especially when there is an attributive, 区别 is preferred.
19
Zhè
liǎng
běn
shū
de
lùndiǎn
论点
yǒu
gēnběn
根本
de
bié
区别
  

The arguments of the two are radically different.

Related

区别分别