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半截 (bàn jié) — half a section; halfway through (an activity); half-finished

Definition

A measure-like word for 'half of something long or ongoing' — a stick, a speech, a film. Pairs with 了 to mark the halfway point of an action (说到半截, 看了一半截).

numeral
half a sectionhalfway through (an activity)half-finished

Examples

  • 半截。
    Tā mǎi le bàn jié qiān bǐ.
    He bought half a pencil.
  • 半截。
    Tā de huà zhī shuō le bàn jié jiù tíng le.
    He only said half of what he wanted and then stopped.
  • 半截，。
    Diàn yǐng cái kàn dào bàn jié, jiù tíng diàn le.
    I was only halfway through the movie when the power went out.

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
截jiésection

“半” means half and “截” means a section, so together they picture half of a length or activity.

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
戈戈gē
Sound part声符shēngfú
雀
雀què截jié
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

截 combines 戈 and 雀, with 雀 supplying the sound.

Open 截 →
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