- 三分之一 sānfēnzhīyī one thirdone third; one part out of three
- 三分之二 sānfēnzhī'èr two-thirdstwo-thirds; two parts out of three
- 入木三分 rùmùsānfēn penetrating(idiom) describes calligraphy that is forceful and powerful; also describes an observation, analysis, or piece of writing that is profound and hits the mark
- 鼎足三分 dǐngzúsānfēn tripartite divisionA situation where power is divided equally among three rival parties; refers to a three-way standoff like the three legs of a tripod tripod.
- 三分鼎足 sānfēndǐngzú three-way standoffA situation where three powers are evenly matched and coexist or struggle for control, like the three legs of a bronze tripod.
- 三分鼎立 sānfēndǐnglì tripartite balance of powerA situation where three powers are balanced against each other, like the three legs of a tripod; often used to describe a three-way standoff.
- 倚酒三分醉 yǐjiǔsānfēnzuì to act drunkto use the excuse of having had a few drinks to behave wildly or do things one would not normally dare to do
- 圣人也有三分错 shèngrényěyǒusānfēncuò even a wise man makes mistakes(proverb) even someone of the highest character and wisdom will make mistakes at times
- 是药三分毒 shìyàosānfēndú every medicine has its side effectLiterally "every medicine is thirty percent poison"; used to warn that all medications have potential side effects or toxicity, and should be taken with caution.
- 话到嘴边留三分 huàdàozuǐbiānliúsānfēn [idiom] to think before you speakA proverb advising one to keep some thoughts to oneself rather than speaking one's entire mind; literally 'when words reach the edge of the mouth, keep back thirty percent'
- 三分钟热度 sānfēnzhōngrèdù flash in the panA short-lived burst of enthusiasm or interest that quickly fades due to a lack of patience or perseverance.
- 三分头 sānfēntóu crew cutstandard men's haircut involving a short back and sides
- 三分法 sānfēnfǎ tripartitiona method of tripartition or division into three parts; trichotomy
- 三分熟 sānfēnshú medium raremedium rare, typically used to describe the doneness of a steak
- 三分球 sānfēnqiú three-pointera three-point shot in basketball
- 一亩三分地 yīmǔsānfēndì small piece of landliterally a plot of land measuring 1.3 [[亩|畝|mu3]]; used to describe a very small or narrow area of land