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半边 (bàn biān) — half of something; one side

Definition

Literally 'half-side': refers to one of two halves or one side of something (often a face, wall, or object). Used as a measure-like noun, similar to 一半 but emphasizing one side rather than a 50% share.

noun
half of somethingone side

Examples

  • ，半边。
    Tā bǎ dàn gāo qiē chéng le liǎng bàn, zì jǐ chī le bàn biān.
    She cut the cake in half and ate one half herself.
  • 半边，。
    Zhè zhāng zhào piàn zhī pāi le bàn biān liǎn, lìng yí cè bèi dǎng zhù le.
    This photo only captured half of the face; the other side was blocked.
  • ，半边。
    Dì zhèn hòu, nà dòng fáng zi zhī shèng xià bàn biān qiáng hái lì zhe.
    After the earthquake, only half a wall of that house was still standing.

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
边biānside

半 (half) and 边 (side) combine to mean one half or one side of something.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 邊; 边 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalking; movement
Sound part声符shēngfú
臱
臱mián邊biān(r)
Same sound today

The traditional form 邊 pairs 辶 (walking; movement) with the sound part 臱; the simplified 边 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the original parts.

Open 边 →
Appears in
Money & CurrencyShopping & Errands

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