半: the kanji for half
半 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means half. Below are its readings, 10 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
半 is written in 5 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
半 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 10 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ハン (han)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 半分はんぶん · hanbun | half |
| 半年はんとし · hantoshi | half a year |
| 前半ぜんはん · zenhan | the first half |
| 後半こうはん · kōhan | the second half |
| 半額はんがく · hangaku | half price |
| 半日はんにち · hannichi | half a day |
| 三時半さんじはん · sanji han | 3:30 |
| 大半たいはん · taihan | most; the majority |
| 半島はんとう · hantō | peninsula |
なかば (nakaba)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 半ばなかば · nakaba | the middle; halfway |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 会議は三時半に終わります。Kaigi wa sanji-han ni owarimasu.The meeting ends at 3:30.
- 今月の後半は忙しいです。Kongetsu no kōhan wa isogashii desu.The second half of this month is busy.
- ケーキを半分に切りました。Kēki o hanbun ni kirimashita.I cut the cake in half.
- 明日は半日休みを取ります。Ashita wa hannichi yasumi o torimasu.I'm taking a half day off tomorrow.
- 仕事の大半は終わりました。Shigoto no taihan wa owarimashita.Most of the work is done.
- 来月半ばに結果が出ます。Raigetsu nakaba ni kekka ga demasu.The results will come out in the middle of next month.
Questions about 半
How many strokes does 半 have?
半 is written in 5 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 半?
The on readings are han (ハン). The kun readings are nakaba (なかば).
How do you say "half past" in Japanese?
Add 半 (han) after the hour: 三時半 (sanji han) means 3:30.
What JLPT level is 半?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Numbers and money
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 半
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.