半分
はんぶん · hanbun · JLPT N5 · adverb
half
🍰 半分 = half (半) + part (分): the half-part of something
半 means half and 分 means part or portion, so the word literally says half-portion. Sound hook: hanbun starts like half and ends like bun — split a bun and each person gets hanbun.
半 — 八 (split) + 牛 (ox/cow)
半 originally depicted an ox (牛) being divided in two, shown by the splitting strokes 八 on top. The image of cleaving an ox down the middle gave rise to the meaning 'half' or 'to divide into halves'. The modern sense of 'half' or 'partial' comes directly from this ancient act of splitting.
分 — knife 刀 + eight 八 (split apart)
分 originally depicted a knife (刀) cutting something into two parts, shown by 八 above (which itself meant 'divide'). The core sense is 'to divide' or 'split', from which extended meanings like 'portion', 'minute', and 'part' developed. Pronounced fèn, it carries the sense of an allotted share.