半天 (bàn tiān) — half a day; (fig.) a long time, quite a while

Definition

As a quantifier, 半天 means literally 'half a day' and can also mean 'a long time' (e.g., 我等了半天 'I waited forever'). 好久 is also 'a long time' but feels about duration; 半天 emphasizes the wait felt like half a day passed.

quantifier
half a day(fig.) a long timequite a while
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 半天
    Tā gōng zuò le bàn tiān jiù qù xiū xi le.
    He worked for half a day and then went to rest.
  • 半天
    Wǒ děng le bàn tiān, tā hái shì méi lái.
    I waited for a long time, but she still hasn't come.
  • 半天
    Wǒ men liáo le bàn tiān, tiān dū hēi le.
    We chatted for quite a while, and it got dark.

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