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半死

bànsǐ
adverb #9,497

Meanings

  1. 1 half dead; nearly dead
  2. 2 extremely; to death (used as a complement for emphasis)

Examples

HSK 2
他累得半死。
Tā lèi de bànsǐ.
He was dead tired.
HSK 3
这件事把我气得半死。
Zhè jiàn shì bǎ wǒ qì de bànsǐ.
This matter made me furious.
HSK 5
她被吓得半死。
Tā bèi xià de bànsǐ.
She was scared half to death.

Tips

grammar
半死 is used as a complement after 得 to intensify adjectives/verbs: 累得半死 (exhausted), 气得半死 (furious), 吓得半死 (terrified). It's colloquial and emphatic.
usage
Similar to the English 'to death' or 'half dead' - always an exaggeration, never literal in modern usage.

Stroke Order

半 bàn
死 sǐ