小半 (xiǎo bàn) — less than half; the smaller part

Definition

Refers to a portion that is less than half of a whole — the smaller part. Often contrasts with 多半 ('more than half / most') when estimating quantities.

noun
less than halfthe smaller part

Examples

  • 小半。
    Tā zhī chī le xiǎo bàn wǎn fàn.
    He only ate less than half a bowl of rice.
  • 小半。
    Zhè suǒ xué xiào de xiǎo bàn xué shēng dōu lái zì nóng cūn.
    Less than half of the students at this school come from rural areas.
  • 小半。
    Wǒ yòng xiǎo bàn de shí jiān jiù wán chéng le rèn wu.
    I used less than half the time to finish the task.

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.

小xiǎosmall
半bànhalf

小 indicates a smaller amount, and 半 denotes the half.

Characters in this word

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

  • 八八bāto divide; to separate
  • 丨丨gǔnsmall object

The shape of 小 comes from three small dots, later elongated into its strokes; the apparent parts 八 and 丨 are a later way of seeing it.

Open 小 →

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 →

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