前半

• Reading: ぜんはん
• Romaji: zenhan
• Kanji breakdown: 前 (zen/mae) — before, front; 半 (han/naka) — half
• Pronunciation: /zeɴ.haɴ/

Meaning

First half. The earlier portion of a time period, event, or work.

A noun dividing something into its earlier half. Used for games, years, stories, and more: 試合の前半 (shiai no zenhan, first half of a match), 20代前半 (nijuudai zenhan, early twenties). The natural pair of 後半 (kouhan, second half). Very common in sports commentary and time-based discussions.

Examples

1. 試合の前半は0対0だった。 The first half of the game was 0-0.
2. 今年の前半はとても忙しかった。 The first half of this year was extremely busy.
3. 映画の前半は少し退屈だったが後半が面白い。 The first half of the movie was a bit boring, but the second half was interesting.

Usage Guide

Context: sports, time periods, narratives

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 前 (zen, before/front) and 半 (han, half). Literally 'the front half', indicating the first portion of a divided whole.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal