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半 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
半
bàn
half
HSK 1, m, 5 strokes, radical 十, rank #612, Easy
半
bàn
semi-
HSK 1, m, 5 strokes, radical 十, rank #612, Easy
半
bàn
incomplete
HSK 1, m, 5 strokes, radical 十, rank #612, Easy
半
bàn
(after a number) and a half
HSK 1, m, 5 strokes, radical 十, rank #612, Easy
bàn(ban4)ban T4
1half
2semi-
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March 24, 2026
半bàn(ban4)
The character 半 (bàn) means 'half' or 'semi-' and is commonly used to indicate a division of something into two equal parts or to describe something that is incomplete. It is frequently encountered in numerical contexts, such as 'one and a half' (一半, yī bàn) or when discussing time, like 'half past' (半点, bàn diǎn).
Strokes5Radical十Frequency#612DifficultyEasy
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of half can be significant, especially in discussions about food portions and family gatherings, where sharing and dividing food is common. For example, a 'half cup' of tea is often used to symbolize hospitality.
Memory tip
Imagine a half pizza cut down the middle; that's 半 (bàn). The left part of the character looks like a slice (the upper part), while the bottom represents the whole pizza. This visual can help you remember that 半 means 'half'—you only have half of the pizza!
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AI study notes for 半
Quick Contrast
半 (bàn) vs 一半 (yī bàn): use 半 for 'half' in general terms, while 一半 specifically means 'one half'.
Usage Notes
When using 半, be careful to place it correctly in phrases, as it typically follows numbers or other quantifiers. It is generally informal but can also be used in writing and conversation without sounding overly casual. A common mistake is forgetting that 半 should be used with numerals like 'three and a half' (三点五, sān diǎn wǔ) rather than just 'three'.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 半 connects well with other numerical concepts and time indicators. Students should focus on using it with numbers and in expressions of time, as it frequently appears in everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 半 before numbers instead of after. For example, saying '半三' instead of '三半' is incorrect; the correct form is 三半 (sān bàn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 半
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The character 半 (bàn) means 'half' or 'semi-' and is commonly used to indicate a division of something into two equal parts or to describe something that is incomplete. It is frequently encountered in numerical contexts, such as 'one and a half' (一半, yī bàn) or when discussing time, like 'half past' (半点, bàn diǎn).
When to use 半
When using 半, be careful to place it correctly in phrases, as it typically follows numbers or other quantifiers. It is generally informal but can also be used in writing and conversation without sounding overly casual. A common mistake is forgetting that 半 should be used with numerals like 'three and a half' (三点五, sān diǎn wǔ) rather than just 'three'.
半 or something close to it
半 (bàn) vs 一半 (yī bàn): use 半 for 'half' in general terms, while 一半 specifically means 'one half'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 半 before numbers instead of after. For example, saying '半三' instead of '三半' is incorrect; the correct form is 三半 (sān bàn).
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半
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Grammar patterns of 半
半 functions as a number. It almost always combines with a measure word before a noun (三个人, 五本书). Standalone numbers are rare outside of math or counting. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
About half the subjects considered themselves to be telepathic.
9
孩子不满5岁的妈妈中近一半有工作。
háizi bùmǎn5 suì de māma zhōng jìn yíbàn yǒu gōngzuò。
Nearly half of mothers with children under five have a job.
10
上半场以21：3领先的法国队有8个达阵得分。
shàngbànchǎng yǐ21：3 lǐngxiān de fǎ guó duì yǒu8 gè dá zhèn défēn。
The French, who led 21-3 at half time, scored eight tries.
11
我吃了半个苹果。
Wǒ chīle bàn gè píngguǒ.
I ate half an apple.
12
现在是三点半。
Xiànzài shì sān diǎn bàn.
It is now half past three.
13
他每天工作八个半小时。
Tā měitiān gōngzuò bā gè bàn xiǎoshí.
He works eight and a half hours every day.
14
我们学校有一半是女生。
Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu yī bàn shì nǚshēng.
Half of the students in our school are girls.
15
我只喝了半杯水。
Wǒ zhǐ hē le bàn bēi shuǐ.
I only drank half a glass of water.
16
这个蛋糕我吃了一半。
Zhè ge dàngāo wǒ chī le yī bàn.
I ate half of this cake.
17
我吃了半个苹果。
Wǒ chīle bàn gè píngguǒ.
I ate half an apple.
18
现在是三点半。
Xiànzài shì sān diǎn bàn.
It is now half past three.
19
他每天工作八个半小时。
Tā měitiān gōngzuò bā gè bàn xiǎoshí.
He works eight and a half hours every day.
20
我们学校有一半是女生。
Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu yī bàn shì nǚshēng.
Half of the students in our school are girls.
21
我只喝了半杯水。
Wǒ zhǐ hē le bàn bēi shuǐ.
I only drank half a glass of water.
22
这个蛋糕我吃了一半。
Zhè ge dàngāo wǒ chī le yī bàn.
I ate half of this cake.
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Cultural Notes for 半
💡Did you know?
The character '半' is often used in everyday life, especially in cooking and measuring. For instance, if a recipe calls for half a cup of sugar, you would use '半杯糖'.
Word Family of 半
Compounds23
判pànto judge
伴bànpartner
叛pànto betray
胖pánhealthy
绊bàna loop of thread; shackles, fetters; to stumble, to trip
拌bànto mix
衅xìnquarrel
畔pànedge
泮pànZhou dynasty school; to disperse, to fall apart
姅bàn
柈bàn
秚bàn
袢pànrobe
詊pàn
冸pàn
坢bàn
怑bàn
牉pàn
眫mǐ
絆bàna loop of thread; shackles, fetters; to stumble, to trip
跘pán
鉡bàn
靽bàn
Words containing this character20
半bànhalf
一半yíbànhalf
半年bànniánhalf a year
半夜bànyèmidnight
半场bànchǎnghalf-court半場
半个bàngehalf of sth半個
上半年shàngbànniánfirst half (of a year)
半天bàntiānhalf of the day
半决赛bànjuésàisemifinals半決賽
大半dàbànmost
多半duōbànmost
半辈子bànbèizihalf of a lifetime半輩子
半数bànshùhalf半數
半点bàndiǎnthe least bit半點
半岛bàndǎopeninsula半島
半径bànjìngradius半徑
半死bànsǐ(tired) to death
半路bànlùhalfway
半月bànyuèhalf-moon
半生bànshēnghalf a lifetime
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 半
What does 判 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 半
半 (bàn) refers to 'half' in a general sense, while 一半 (yī bàn) specifically means 'one half' and emphasizes the concept of 'one'. They can often be used interchangeably, but 一半 may be preferred for clarity in certain contexts.
Yes, 半 (bàn) can be used with numbers to indicate 'and a half.' For example, '三点半' means 'three and a half o'clock.' This usage is common in both time and measurements.
半 (bàn) means 'half' or 'semi-' in Chinese. It is used to indicate a division of something into two equal parts or to describe something that is not complete. For example, '半个' means 'half of' something.
You can use 半 (bàn) in sentences to express quantities, such as '我吃了一半的蛋糕' which means 'I ate half of the cake.' It can also be used to describe time, like '半小时' meaning 'half an hour.'
You place 半 after the number to indicate 'and a half', such as 三半 (sān bàn) for 'three and a half'.
Yes, 半 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, especially when discussing measurements or time.
It primarily means 'half', but it can also imply something incomplete or partially done.
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