HSK 3
半
bàn
half hour
Structure
Hour + 点 (diǎn) + 半 (bàn)
How it works
In the context of telling time, '半' (bàn) is used to indicate 'half past' or thirty minutes. It is placed immediately after the hour numeral and the word '点' (diǎn).
Examples
现在是三点半。
Xiànzài shì sān diǎn bàn.
It is now half past three.
我们五点半吃晚饭。
Wǒmen wǔ diǎn bàn chī wǎnfàn.
We eat dinner at 5:30.
他早上八点半去上班。
Tā zǎoshang bā diǎn bàn qù shàngbān.
He goes to work at 8:30 in the morning.
Common mistakes
Do not add the word '分' (fēn) after '半'. Saying '七点半分' is incorrect.
Tip
Think of '半' as a replacement for '三十分'. You can say either '七点三十' or '七点半', but '半' is much more common in daily conversation.
More HSK 3 grammar
See 半 in real Chinese
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