How to say "classify" in Japanese

• 選り分けるよりわけるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbCovers classifying in the sense of sorting items out and putting them into categories after going through them by hand, as when sifting mail or produce into piles by type.
  荷物にもつを全部ぜんぶ選り分よりわけるのにかなり時間じかんがかかった。↗

  It took quite a while to sort out all our luggage.
• 分けるわけるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbThis matches 'classify' only loosely: its core sense is dividing or splitting things into parts or groups. It suits separating things into classes in a plain, physical way, not careful sorting.
  彼かれは自分じぶんの本ほんを５分野ぶんやに分わけた。↗

  He grouped his books into five categories.

Use 「選り分ける」 for sorting items into categories after sifting through them; use 「分ける」 when you simply divide or separate things into groups, the broader and more literal choice.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 選り分けるよりわけるto classify
• 分けるわけるto divide (into)
• 仕分けるしわけるto assort
• 等を分けるとうをわけるto grade