晌 (shǎng) - A unit of time & midday
晌 · shǎng
A unit of time;
midday;
a short period of time;
a moment.
A unit of timemiddaya short period of time
Usage highlights
noonhalf a daya short whilemidday breakafternoonmorning
Usage & contexts
Examples
- I rested for a short while (歇了一晌).
- It's already noon (晌午了).
- He worked in the fields for half a day (半晌).
- We chatted for a while (聊了一晌).
Collocations
- noon(晌午)
- half a day(半晌)
- a short while(一晌)
- midday break(歇晌)
- afternoon(后晌)
- morning(前晌)
Idioms
- A fleeting dream of spring(春梦一晌)
- A moment of pleasure(一晌贪欢)
- Half a day's work(半晌功夫)
Cultural background
FAQ- Originally referred to a short period of time, roughly equivalent to half a day in traditional timekeeping.
- Commonly used in northern Chinese dialects to refer to specific times of day (前晌 for morning, 后晌 for afternoon).
- Reflects traditional agricultural society's division of the working day into morning and afternoon periods.