半天

bàntiān

noun HSK 3 #10,559

Meanings

Often used figuratively to mean 'quite a while', not literally half a day.

HSK 2

我等了半天。

Wǒ děng le bàntiān.

I waited for quite a while.

HSK 2

他说了半天，我还是不懂。

Tā shuō le bàntiān, wǒ háishi bù dǒng.

He talked for ages, and I still don't understand.

HSK 2

从这里到那里要走半天。

Cóng zhèlǐ dào nàlǐ yào zǒu bàntiān.

It takes half a day to walk from here to there.

usage

半天 is more often used figuratively ('a long time') than literally ('half a day'). Context makes the meaning clear.

半 bàn

天 tiān