晌

shǎng
向 + 日

Definitions

shǎng (noun) part of day; midday; noon

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 日 represents the meaning and 向 represents the sound.

Semantic: 日 Phonetic: 向

About

晌 is a phono-semantic compound: the 日 radical on the left ties it to daylight and time, while 向 on the right gives its sound. It primarily denotes a period of the day, most often midday or noon. In colloquial and dialect use, it also conveys a short, indefinite moment. In agricultural contexts, it once served as a land measure, the area a farmer could plow in a single day or half-day. The meaning is anchored by the sun radical, reflecting the passage of time and the working day.

Example Sentences Hide

晌午的太阳很热。

Shǎngwǔ de tàiyáng hěn rè.

The noon sun is very hot.

他睡了半晌才醒。

Tā shuì le bànshǎng cái xǐng.

He slept for half a day before waking up.

今天晌午我们吃面条。

Jīntiān shǎngwǔ wǒmen chī miàntiáo.

We eat noodles at noon today.

晌午过后，天气变凉了。

Shǎngwǔ guòhòu, tiānqì biàn liáng le.

After noon, the weather turned cooler.

他花了半晌时间整理房间。

Tā huā le bànshǎng shíjiān zhěnglǐ fángjiān.

He spent half a day tidying up the room.

晌午的阳光照在湖面上，闪闪发光。

Shǎngwǔ de yángguāng zhào zài húmiàn shàng, shǎnshǎn fāguāng.

The noon sunlight shines on the lake, sparkling.

尽管已是晌午，他还在床上躺着。

Jǐnguǎn yǐ shì shǎngwǔ, tā hái zài chuáng shàng tǎng zhe.

Even though it is already noon, he is still lying in bed.

他们决定利用晌午休息时间讨论计划。

Tāmen juédìng lìyòng shǎngwǔ xiūxí shíjiān tǎolùn jìhuà.

They decided to use the noon break time to discuss the plan.

Related Characters

Component: 向

响 饷 垧 餉 嚮 晑 珦 逈

Component: 日

是 时 日 者 明 间 最 果 更 电 复 易 早 显

Example Words

半晌 晌午