半
半 (bàn) means “half”. It is made of 丷 + 牛 and has 5 strokes, and is an HSK 1 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 半 into its parts
What 半 is made of
- 丷 ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 牛 niú — ox
Origin hint: A cow 牛 splitting 丷 wood in half (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
半 stroke order
Example sentences
现在三点半。Xiànzài sān diǎn bàn.It's half past three.
我吃了半个苹果。Wǒ chī le bàn gè píngguǒ.I ate half an apple.
Words with 半
Also built with 丷
- 产chǎnto give birth
- 兑duìcash
- 关guānto close
- 兼jiānboth
- 单dānlist
- 夹jiāto support
- 平píngflat
- 并bìngand
- 弟dìyoung brother
- 总zǒngalways
- 曾céngonce
- 来láito come
Quick facts
| Pinyin | bàn |
|---|---|
| Meaning | half |
| Strokes | 5 |
| Radical | 十 (ten, #24) |
| Pattern | Overlapping |
| HSK | HSK 1 (exam 2025) · HSK 1 (2021) · Old HSK 3 |
Questions about 半
What does 半 mean?
半 (bàn) means “half”.
How many strokes does 半 have?
半 has 5 strokes.
What is the radical of 半?
The radical of 半 is 十 (shí, “ten”), Kangxi radical number 24.
What parts make up 半?
半 is made of 丷 (kwukyel) and 牛 (ox).
Which HSK level is 半?
半 is in HSK 1 (exam 2025) and HSK 1 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Learn 半 with its group
It is part of HSK 1 (2021) · Group 18: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.