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不足一半
bù zú yī bàn
less than half
参与调查的人不足一半。
Less than half of the people surveyed participated.
formal
A quantity or proportion that is smaller than fifty percent of the whole.
这家公司的员工流失率不足一半。
The employee turnover rate at this company is less than half.
投票结果显示支持者不足一半。
The voting results show that supporters are less than half.
Commonly used in statistical, financial, or analytical contexts to describe underperformance or minority status.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Precision in Numbers
When using '不足一半' in writing, ensure the context clearly indicates it refers to a numerical proportion. For example, 'The project completion rate is less than half' is clearer than 'The project is less than half'.
Gold Rule
Avoid Ambiguity
Pair '不足一半' with a clear subject to avoid ambiguity. For instance, '不足一半的员工' (less than half of the employees) is better than '不足一半' alone.
Word Origin
The phrase is a direct composition of Chinese characters: 不足 (not enough) + 一半 (one half). It emerged in modern Chinese as a concise way to express a numerical underrepresentation, particularly in statistical or analytical contexts.
Usage Notes
1. The phrase is neutral and factual, often used in reports, surveys, or data analysis. 2. It does not carry emotional connotations unless used in a specific context (e.g., 'support is less than half' implying failure). 3. Avoid using it for exact proportions; use '接近一半' (close to half) or '大约一半' (about half) for imprecise but rounded figures.
Word Breakdown
不足
not enough / less than
compound一半
one half
noun汉英词典