In British schools, half-term is a short holiday in the middle of a term — often about a week — when children do not go to class. The school year is split into terms; halfway through a term, everyone gets a breather. Families talk about “going away at half-term” the way some people talk about a long weekend, only it is a real break written into the calendar.

In British schools在英國的學校裡， half-term is是 in the middle of a term學期中間 a short holiday的一個短假期 — often about a week常常大約一週 — when那段時間 children孩子們 do not go to class不用上課。The school year學年 is split into terms被分成幾個學期； halfway through a term一個學期過到一半， everyone大家 gets a breather就喘一口氣。Families家人 talk about “going away at half-term”說 “going away at half-term” 的口吻， the way就像 some people有些人 talk about a long weekend說長週末一樣， only只是 it它 is是 written into the calendar寫進行事曆 a real break的正式假期。

This is strongly British, and you will also hear it in some places that follow that school pattern. American schools are more likely to say “midterm break,” or just name the week.

This這 is strongly British是很英國的說法， and you而你 in some places that follow that school pattern在一些沿用那種學制的地方 will also hear it也會聽到它。American schools美國的學校 are more likely to say比較可能說 “midterm break,”， or或者 just name the week直接說出那一週的名字。

Taiwan school life does not really use this word: we have 學期 and 期中考, but not a standard holiday with this name. If you meet it in a story set in England, it is time off school, not a test, and not “half of the school year.”

Taiwan school life台灣的學校生活 does not really use this word不太用這個字： we我們 have有 學期 and 期中考， but not但沒有 a standard holiday with this name一個叫這名字的固定假期。If you如果你 in a story set in England在以英國為背景的故事裡 meet it遇到它， it它 is是 time off school放假不上學， not a test不是考試， and not也不是 “half of the school year.”「學年的一半」。