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半天不见
bàn tiān bù jiàn
haven't seen (someone) all day
半天不见，你去哪儿了？
Haven't seen you all day, where have you been?
informal
A phrase indicating that a long time has passed without seeing someone.
都半天不见你了，你在忙什么呢？
Haven't seen you in ages, what have you been busy with?
半天不见，你的头发怎么了？
I haven't seen you all day—what happened to your hair?
Often used to express surprise or concern after a period of absence.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Context
Use '半天不见' when you want to express that someone has been missing for a while, even if it's not literally half a day. It’s often used to start a conversation after a gap.
Gold Rule
Temporal Flexibility
'半天' in this phrase is not strictly literal. It can refer to a few hours or even a day, depending on context.
Word Origin
The phrase combines '半天' (bàn tiān, 'half a day') and '不见' (bù jiàn, 'not seen'), literally meaning 'not seen for half a day.' It is used colloquially to indicate a longer period than the literal 'half a day' suggests.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in casual conversation to express that someone has been absent for a noticeable period. It can imply mild surprise or concern. The duration '半天' is figurative rather than literal.
Word Breakdown
半天
half a day / a long time
phrase不见
not seen
verb汉英词典