📖 Meaning
Refers to the formal division of a family household, where assets are split and each branch sets up its own separate home. The idiom captures the traditional Chinese practice of brothers dividing the family estate and living independently, each with their own cooking fire.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Song Dynasty official history 'History of the Song, Food and Goods Monograph' (《宋史·食货志上二》), which documents land and tax policies. The text records that when families divided their property, the government issued official deeds and county offices maintained registers to formalize the new land boundaries. The phrase 'dividing smoke' metaphorically refers to each new household lighting its own cooking fire, a vivid image of separation into independent family units.
💡 Example Usage
分烟析产之后，兄弟二人各自过上了独立的生活。
After dividing the family property and setting up separate households, the two brothers each began living independently.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 分烟析产
- Pinyin: fēn yān xī chǎn
- Literal Translation: divide smoke, split property
- Category: Lifestyle
- Characters: 4