半死 (bàn sǐ) — (complement) used after 得 to indicate an extreme degree, equivalent to 'to death' or 'extremely'

Definition

A degree complement used after 得 (e.g. 累得半死) meaning 'to death / extremely' — pairs naturally with verbs of feeling like 累, 饿, 吓, 气.

particle
(complement) used after 得 to indicate an extreme degree, equivalent to 'to death' or 'extremely'

Examples

  • 半死。
    Tā lèi dé bàn sǐ.
    He was dead tired.
  • 半死。
    Wǒ è dé bàn sǐ.
    I was starving to death.
  • 半死。
    Tā xià dé bàn sǐ.
    She was scared to death.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

半bànhalf
死sǐdead

The meanings of 半 (half) and 死 (dead) combine to describe a state halfway to death, hence an extreme degree.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 八 (to divide) with 牛 (cow), showing a cow cut into two halves.

Open 半 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
歹歹dǎi
Sound part声符shēngfú
尸
尸shī死sǐ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

死 is built from 歹 and 尸: 歹 is the part tied to the meaning, and 尸 gives the sound.

Open 死 →

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