Definition

1. Noun:

   • Half: One of two equal parts of something. This is the most common and fundamental meaning.
   • A part, a portion: Can refer to a part or portion of something, not necessarily exactly half.

2. Adjective:

   • Half, semi-, demi-: Used as a prefix or in compounds to describe something that is not complete, is partial, or is halfway between two states.

Usage Examples

• As a Noun:

  • Tôi chỉ ăn nửa quả táo. (I only ate half of the apple.)
  • Cô ấy đã dành nửa đời người để nghiên cứu. (She spent half her life researching.)
  • Chúng tôi đợi nửa tiếng đồng hồ. (We waited for half an hour.)

• As an Adjective (in compounds):

  • Căn phòng nửa tối nửa sáng. (The room is half dark, half bright.)
  • Anh ta có thái độ nửa đùa nửa thật. (He has a half-joking, half-serious attitude.)

Advanced Usage

• "nửa... nửa...": A common structure meaning "half... half..." or "partly... partly...", used to describe a mixed or intermediate state.

  • Câu chuyện nửa thực nửa hư. (The story is half true, half fiction.)
  • Cảm giác nửa vui nửa buồn. (A feeling half joyful, half sad.)

• "quá nửa": More than half.

  • Quá nửa số người tham gia đồng ý. (More than half of the participants agreed.)

• "non nửa": Less than half; almost half.

  • Chúng tôi đã chờ non nửa ngày. (We waited for almost half a day.)

Variants and Related Words

• Một nửa: One half. This phrase emphasizes the exact "one half" portion.

  • Chia đôi, mỗi người một nửa. (Split it in two, each person gets one half.)

• Nửa vời: Half-hearted, incomplete, superficial.

  • Công việc làm nửa vời thì không bao giờ tốt được. (Half-hearted work is never good.)

• Nửa buổi: Mid-morning or mid-afternoon break time (in a workday context).

  • Nghỉ giải lao lúc nửa buổi. (Take a break at mid-morning.)

Synonyms

• Một phần hai: One part of two (mathematical/formal term for half).
• Phân nửa: A half part (similar to "một nửa").
• Một nửa: One half.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• Nửa đêm nửa hôm: The dead of night, very late at night.

  • Anh ấy về nhà lúc nửa đêm nửa hôm. (He came home in the dead of night.)

• Nửa đường đứt gánh: To give up halfway; to quit before completing something.

  • Đừng có dự án nào cũng nửa đường đứt gánh. (Don't give up halfway on every project.)

• Nửa tin nửa ngờ: Half-believing, half-doubting; skeptical.

  • Tôi nghe tin đó với thái độ nửa tin nửa ngờ. (I heard that news with a skeptical attitude.)

noun

1. half
   • nửa ký lô
     half a kilogram