Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ครึ่ง | krʉ̂ng | /kʰrɯŋ˥˩/ |
| ครึ่งหนึ่ง | krêung-nèung | /kʰrɯŋ˥˩.nɯŋ˨˩/ /kʰrɯŋ˥˩.nɯŋ˧/ |
ครึ่ง is used to denote one of two roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided. To say 'half of [something]', you place ครึ่ง before the noun or after the classifier, depending on the sentence structure. For example, you can express 'half an hour' by placing ครึ่ง directly before the classifier ชั่วโมง (hour).
What does it mean word for word?
The form ครึ่งหนึ่ง literally means 'half one'.
Which one should you use?
While ครึ่ง is used for physical halves or exact amounts, the related form กึ่ง is more common in formal or technical contexts to mean 'semi-' or 'halfway', such as when describing something as semi-official or halfway through a process. Additionally, when used as a noun or adjective to describe a quantity, ครึ่ง is often used alone, whereas ครึ่งหนึ่ง is used when emphasizing the specific fraction of one out of two.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
krʉ̂ng (/kʰrɯŋ˥˩/)
Did you know?
- If you describe someone's work or an action as ครึ่งๆ กลางๆ, you are not just saying it is 'half-done', but rather that it is mediocre, indecisive, or lacks commitment.
- The word ครึ่ง is a linguistic relative of the word for 'half' in the Ahom language, which was spoken by the founders of the Ahom Kingdom in India.
- When talking about the time, Thai speakers use ครึ่ง to mean 'thirty minutes' without needing to specify the word for 'minute' at all.
Examples in context
- ผ่าครึ่งมันCut it in half.The sentence is useful for practicing the use of ครึ่ง when giving an instruction to cut something.Tatoeba #8714394 by pastelite, translation #41774 by CK
- ความจริงครึ่งเดียวHalf truthThe sentence is useful for learning how to use ครึ่ง in the phrase 'half truth'.
- กินแค่ครึ่งเดียวก็พอkin khae khrueng diao ko phoJust eat half, that's enough.
Example conversation
A woman is sharing a snack with a man.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatแบ่งให้ผมครึ่งหนึ่งได้ไหมbaeng hai phom khrueng nueng dai maiCan you give me half?
- ณิชา Nichaได้ค่ะ นี่ค่ะdai kha, ni khaSure, here you go.
- ธีรภัทร Theeraphatขอบคุณมากครับkhop khun mak khrapThank you very much.
- ณิชา Nichaยินดีค่ะyin di khaYou're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “half” translations and entries ครึ่ง, ครึ่งหนึ่ง, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ครึ่ง, ครึ่งหนึ่ง, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
