Chinese word

半天

Pronunciation

Pinyinbàn tiān

Meaning

  • adverbfor a while

Example

他半天没说话。tā bàn tiān méi shuō huà

He didn't speak for a while.

Illustration for 半天 (for a while)

More examples

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.

Core concept

Time pictured as one broad piece cut from a day, often large enough to feel like a long while.

Common phrases

  • 等了半天děng le bàn tiān

    wait for a while

  • 找半天zhǎo bàn tiān

    look for a while

  • 说了半天shuō le bàn tiān

    talk for a while

Similar words

好久háo jiǔ: For quite a long time, without giving an exact length.
一会儿yí huìr: For a little while or a short time.

Definition in Chinese

作副词或名词使用，指大约半天的时间或泛指一段较长的时间，语气偏口语化。zuò fù cí huò míng cí shǐ yòng zhǐ dà yuē bàn tiān de shí jiān huò fàn zhǐ yí duàn jiào cháng de shí jiān yǔ qì piān kóu yǔ huà

Word origin

半 (bàn, "half") + 天 (tiān, "day") names half of a day, then gains a conversational use for an extended but unspecific period.

Usage tips

  • 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 meanings

  • half a daynoun
  • a long timenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word