半ば
Meanings
Refers to the middle point in space, time, or progress. Also used as a suffix to mean 'in the middle of'.
He left the meeting halfway through.
We took a break at a shop midway along the road.
half (of); one half
Used to indicate a half portion or roughly half of something.
Half of the participants were women.
partly; half (done, jokingly)
Adverbial use meaning something is done partially, not completely, or with mixed feelings. Often used with verbs like 諦める, 冗談で言う, etc.
Though I had half given up, I kept trying until the end.
He said that half jokingly.
Adverbial use meaning 'for the most part' or 'almost entirely'. Often used when something is nearly complete or mostly the case.
The construction is mostly complete.
His story was almost true.
Usage patterns
- 〈時〉の半ばthe middle of <a time period, e.g. a month or century>
I moved into a new apartment in mid-September.
- 〈事〉を半ばであきらめるto give up on <something> halfway through
He gave up on the marathon halfway through.
- 半ば強制的に〈動詞〉to almost forcibly/practically make someone do <verb>
I was practically forced to take part.
- 〈数〉代半ばin one's mid-<decade>s
He is a man in his mid-thirties.
- 半ば〈形容詞〉、半ば〈形容詞〉partly ~, partly ~ (mixed feelings or motives)
His words were half serious, half joking.
- 〈事〉は半ば成功した<something> was almost/mostly a success
You could say the plan was mostly a success.
Expressions
- 道半ばhalfway; midway
- 教うるは学ぶの半ばwe learn by teaching
- 百里を行く者は九十を半ばとすdon't count your chickens before they're hatched; there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip