Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of dividing an ox in two. Half of something.
Symbolism
Half, midway, part. Represents effort of 'not giving up halfway'.
Component Breakdown
丷 + two + 丨
Words & Expressions
Words written with 半
Four-Character Compounds
一紙半銭
いっしはんせん
small sum; things of little value
一知半解
いっちはんかい
superficial knowledge; half knowledge
中途半端
ちゅうとはんぱ
halfway; half measures; unfinished
半官半民
はんかんはんみん
semi-governmental; semi-official
半死半生
はんしはんしょう
all but dead; half killed
半信半疑
はんしんはんぎ
half in doubt; half-convinced; dubious
半身不随
はんしんふずい
hemiplegia (paralysis on one side of the body)
一言半句
いちげんはんく
a single word; (not even) a word; (not even) a syllable
行動半径
こうどうはんけい
radius of action; combat radius; sphere of activity
半知半解
はんちはんかい
superficial knowledge; half knowledge
冗談半分
じょうだんはんぶん
half joking; being (only) half serious; (in a) jocular vein
半睡半醒
はんすいはんせい
half asleep and half awake
半醒半睡
はんせいはんすい
half awake and half asleep
一文半銭
いちもんきなか
meagre sum of money
Poetry
めぐりあひて 見しやそれとも 分かぬまに 雲がくれにし 夜半の月かな
We met again, and before I could tell whether it was really you, you were gone, like the midnight moon behind cloud.
心にも あらでうき世に ながらへば 恋しかるべき 夜半の月かな
If against my will I linger on in this wretched world, I shall surely long for tonight's midnight moon.
Anime & Manga
四畳半神話大系
The Tatami Galaxy
A well-known work with 半 in its Japanese title.
半人前の恋人
Blooming Love
A well-known work with 半 in its Japanese title.
Other kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 半 mean in Japanese?
半 means half, middle, odd number, semi-, part-.
How do you read 半?
On'yomi: ハン (HAN). Kun'yomi: なか.ば (nakaba).
How many strokes does 半 have?
半 has 5 strokes. Its radical is 十 (ten).
Is 半 a good kanji for a tattoo?
半 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means half, middle, odd number, semi-, part-. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.