The kanji 半 primarily conveys the meaning of "half" or "part." It signifies division into two equal portions, or something incomplete or partial. It can also imply something that is midway or not entirely whole.

・On-yomi (音読み): ハン (han) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): なか(ば) (nakaba)

⚫︎ 半分半 Translation: Half ⚫︎ 一時間半半 Translation: One and a half hours ⚫︎ 半半分にする Translation: To divide in half

The kanji 半 depicts a symbol that originally showed something being divided, likely a representation of something cut or split in two. The character's form has evolved over time, but the core idea of division remains central to its meaning. The top horizontal stroke might have represented the object being divided, while the vertical stroke symbolized the cut or separation. It's a pictographic character with a clear connection to its core meaning of "half."