English–Chinese
“for a while” in Chinese
How to say “for a while” in Chinese
“For a while” in Chinese is 半天 (bàn tiān).
Time pictured as one broad piece cut from a day, often large enough to feel like a long while.
Example sentences with 半天
我等了半天，车才来。wǒ děng le bàn tiān chē cái lái
I waited for a while, and the car finally came.
Tips for using 半天
- In statements about something not happening, it can add the feeling that the wait has gone on rather than merely showing that time has passed.
Other Chinese words for “for a while”
他一时没有说话。tā yì shí méi yǒu shuō huà
He did not speak for a while.