半夜

bàn yè

HSK 2Noun (名)数量词

Basic Meaning

Refers to the period around 12:00 AM, or more generally to the deep night. Often used in the idiom 半夜三更 or 深更半夜 to emphasize the lateness of the hour.

midnight; the middle of the night.

时间词。夜里十二点钟前后，也泛指深夜。

Words:

半夜三更深更半夜

Synonyms:

午夜夜阑三鼓深夜子夜三更更阑夜半半宿深宵

Antonyms:

黎明晌午

Sentences:

他(tā)工(gōng)作(zuò)到(dào)半(bàn)夜(yè)才(cái)回(huí)家(jiā)。
He didn't come home until he finished working at midnight.
半(bàn)夜(yè)三(sān)更(gēng)的(de)，你(nǐ)怎(zěn)么(me)还(hái)不(bú)睡(shuì)？
It's the middle of the night, why aren't you asleep yet?

数量词

Used to specify a portion of the night, such as 前半夜 (the first half of the night) or 后半夜 (the second half/latter part of the night).

quantifier. half of a night.

数量词。一夜的一半。

Words:

半夜敲门后半夜前半夜

Sentences:

我(wǒ)前(qián)半(bàn)夜(yè)睡(shuì)得(de)很(hěn)好(hǎo)，后(hòu)半(bàn)夜(yè)却(què)失(shī)眠(mián)了(le)。
I slept well in the first half of the night, but I had insomnia in the latter half.

Characters Breakdown

half

night