bun3 zau3半晝半昼
Jyutpingbun3 zau3
Yalebun jau
Definition
Half a day; either the morning or afternoon period with sunlight.
colloquialtimework
How it's used
Refers specifically to a period of time during daylight hours, typically associated with work or school schedules. It functions as a duration rather than a specific clock time, often implying a shift that ends around midday or starts after lunch.
Examples
I only need to work half a day today and then I can leave.
Do you need to work a half-day shift tomorrow?
Related words
Common phrases
to work a half-day shift
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe a duration of twelve hours, as it strictly implies a portion of the daytime. It is not interchangeable with the general duration of six hours in non-work contexts.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
