How to Say "Half Past" in Japanese

半

[hã̠ɴ]

The English phrase "half past" is expressed in Japanese using 半.

In Japanese, the 'half' marker follows the hour, whereas in English, 'half past' precedes the hour.

Meaning: "half past one" as example of usage in other languages (noun)

What does it mean word for word?

The character 半 literally means 'half'.

To say "half past [hour]", you attach 半 directly to the hour counter 時 (ji).

While 半 marks the 30-minute point, Japanese does not have a common phrase equivalent to 'quarter past' or 'quarter to' using a single character. People typically just say '15 minutes' or '45 minutes'.
The term 半端 derived from 半 refers to something that is odd, irregular or not a whole number, such as 'spare change'.
In Japanese, 半 is not just for time. It can be added to any unit of measurement, like 半分 for 'half a portion' or 半日 for 'half a day'.

4時半です。
It's half past four.
This sentence shows how to state that it is half past four using 半.
Tatoeba #11960470 by small_snow, translation #11960460 by zogwarg
6時半に会おう。
I'll see you at half past six.
This sentence demonstrates how to suggest meeting at half past six using 半.
Tatoeba #2225368 by tommy_san, translation #11879190 by sundown
5時半に閉鎖します。
It shuts at half past five.
This sentence illustrates stating a closing time of half past five using 半.
Tatoeba #11957696 by small_snow, translation #9509815 by sundown
26 more sentences on Tatoeba

Kenta and Misaki are checking the time before a movie starts.

健太 Kenta

今は何時ですか？
Ima wa nanji desu ka?
What time is it now?
美咲 Misaki

二時半ですよ。
Niji han desu yo.
It is half past two.
健太 Kenta

映画は二時半に始まりますか？
Eiga wa niji han ni hajimarimasu ka?
Does the movie start at half past two?
美咲 Misaki

はい、すぐ始まります。
Hai, sugu hajimarimasu.
Yes, it starts soon.

Sources

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