Usage note
半夜表示深夜很晚的时候。
bàn yè biǎo shì shēn yè hěn wǎn de shí hòu。
半夜 means the middle of the night, very late.
Context note
半夜常用于睡觉、噪音和紧急情况。
bàn yè cháng yòng yú shuì jiào 、 zào yīn hé jǐn jí qíng kuàng。
It is often used for sleep, noise, and emergencies.
5 examples
他半夜醒了。
tā bàn yè xǐng le。
He woke up in the middle of the night.
不要半夜打电话。
bú yào bàn yè dǎ diàn huà。
Do not call in the middle of the night.
半夜外面很安静。
bàn yè wài miàn hěn ān jìng。
It is very quiet outside at midnight.
我半夜才睡。
wǒ bàn yè cái shuì。
I did not sleep until midnight.
孩子半夜哭了。
hái zi bàn yè kū le。
The child cried in the middle of the night.
5 mini stories
半夜的时候，窗外下起雨来。
bàn yè de shí hòu， chuāng wài xià qǐ yǔ lái。
In the middle of the night, it started raining outside.
他半夜起来喝水。
tā bàn yè qǐ lái hē shuǐ。
He got up in the middle of the night to drink water.
半夜的街道几乎没人。
bàn yè de jiē dào jī hū méi rén。
There was almost no one on the street at midnight.
她半夜听见了声音。
tā bàn yè tīng jiàn le shēng yīn。
She heard a sound in the middle of the night.
半夜睡觉前，最好关好门窗。
bàn yè shuì jiào qián， zuì hǎo guān hǎo mén chuāng。
Before sleeping at midnight, it is best to close the doors and windows.
Mini dialogue
半夜醒来
A
你昨天半夜怎么醒了？
Nǐ zuótiān bànyè zěnme xǐng le?
Why did you wake up at midnight yesterday?
B
我半夜听到一个声音，有点害怕。
Wǒ bànyè tīngdào yī gè shēngyīn, yǒudiǎn hàipà.
I heard a sound at midnight and felt a bit scared.
不要熬夜
A
妈妈，我可以半夜看电视吗？
Māma, wǒ kěyǐ bànyè kàn diànshì ma?
Mom, can I watch TV at midnight?
B
不行，半夜看电视对身体不好。
Bù xíng, bànyè kàn diànshì duì shēntǐ bù hǎo.
No, watching TV at midnight is not good for your health.
Related words and contrasts
similar
深夜
shēn yè
late at night
Refers to the deep, quiet hours of the night, similar to midnight.
opposite
中午
zhōng wǔ
noon
Noon is the middle of the day, opposite to midnight.
related
凌晨
líng chén
early morning (before dawn)
The time just after midnight, moving toward morning.