前半(ぜんはん)

前半(ぜんはん) refers to the first half of any divisible period, event, or work — sports matches, years, books, movies, etc.

Common collocations

• 前半(ぜんはん)戦(せん): first half of a match
• 年(ねん)の前半(ぜんはん): first half of the year
• 前半(ぜんはん)と後半(こうはん): first half and second half
• ～年代(ねんだい)前半(ぜんはん): early part of a decade (e.g., 2020年代(ねんだい)前半(ぜんはん) = early 2020s)

Usage

Always paired conceptually with 後半(こうはん) (second half). In sports, the halftime break separates 前半(ぜんはん) and 後半(こうはん). For books or movies, it refers roughly to the first half of the content.

Similar words

• 前半(ぜんはん): first half (of a defined whole)
• 前期(ぜんき): first term/period (academic or fiscal)
• 序盤(じょばん): opening phase (more flexible, not exactly half)