(ぜんはん)

ぜんはん
noun
first half
1. first half
The first half of a time period, event, game, or other divisible whole. Commonly used for halves of sports matches, decades, books, and similar.
試合(しあい)前半(ぜんはん)()わった。
The first half of the game ended.
映画(えいが)前半(ぜんはん)はテンポが(おそ)かった。
The first half of the movie had a slow pace.
今年(ことし)前半(ぜんはん)(いそが)しかったが、後半(こうはん)(すこ)()()いた。
The first half of this year was busy, but things calmed down a bit in the second half.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 前半(ぜんはん)(せん) (first half of a match)
  • (ねん)前半(ぜんはん) (first half of the year)
  • 前半(ぜんはん)後半(こうはん) (first half and second half)

Often paired with its antonym 後半(こうはん) (second half). When referring to decades, 前半(ぜんはん) means the earlier years — for example, 2020年代(ねんだい)前半(ぜんはん) means the early 2020s.