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半边天 (bàn biān tiān) — half the sky (literal); women (as a group, especially in the context of social contribution)

Definition

A figurative term for 'women' (as a social force), from the saying 'women hold up half the sky.' Used collectively to praise women's contribution to society and work, not as a neutral label for individual women.

noun
half the sky (literal)women (as a group, especially in the context of social contribution)

Examples

  • ，半边天。
    Rú jīn, bàn biān tiān zài gè háng gè yè dōu fā huī zhe zhòng yào zuò yòng.
    Today, women play an important role in all walks of life.
  • 半边天，。
    Tā shì wǒ men gōng sī de bàn biān tiān, néng lì fēi cháng qiáng.
    She is a pillar of our company (a woman who holds up half the sky), very capable.
  • 半边天，。
    Zhè bù jì lù piàn jiǎng shù le bàn biān tiān de gù shi, lìng rén gǎn dòng.
    This documentary tells the stories of women, which is touching.

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.

半边
半bànhalf边biānside
偏正Modifier + head
天tiānsky

半 means half, 边 means side, and 天 means sky; the phrase pictures women as half the sky.

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 →

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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