選より分わける

also: えりわける

よ

り

わ

け

る

Common wordJLPTN1

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, transitive verb

To pick out and separate items into groups based on some criteria, often by hand. Used for physical objects, data, or abstract things.

落おち葉ばの中なかからきれいなのを選より分わける。

I pick out the pretty ones from among the fallen leaves.

選り分けるUsage55%
- よりわける
  Standard kanji spelling; the 選り part is often written in kana as より分ける in practice.
- えりわける
より分わけるUsage27%
Common kana-kanji mixed spelling; often preferred for readability.
えり分わけるUsage9%
Rare spelling using the reading えりわける; the よりわける reading is far more common.
よりわけるUsage7%
えりわけるUsage2%

分ぶん類るいする
分類する is more formal and systematic, often used for scientific or logical classification. 選り分ける implies a hands-on, manual sorting process.
仕し分わける
仕分ける also means to sort or classify, but often implies a more deliberate, organized separation, sometimes used in business contexts. 選り分ける can be more casual and physical.

Compound of 選り (yori, the continuative form of 選る 'to select') + 分ける (wakeru, 'to divide, separate').