1
play in a semi
The team will play in the semi tomorrow.
该队明天将参加半决赛。
半决赛
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
半决赛
one of the two competitions in the next to the last round of an elimination tournament
The team will play in the semi tomorrow.
该队明天将参加半决赛。
semi-final的缩写
淘汰赛中倒数第二轮的比赛之一
one of the two competitions in the next to the last round of an elimination tournament
只有后轮、前部由牵引车支撑的拖车
a trailer having wheels only in the rear; the front is supported by the towing vehicle
由牵引车和拖车组成的卡车
a truck consisting of a tractor and trailer together
After winning the quarter-final, the team advanced to the semi.
在赢得四分之一决赛后，该队晋级半决赛。
The semi was a close match, decided by a single goal.
这场半决赛比分接近，仅以一球之差决出胜负。
A fully loaded semi can weigh up to 40 tons.
满载的半挂卡车重量可达40吨。
The team will play in the semi tomorrow.
该队明天将参加半决赛。
She reached the semi of the tournament.
她进入了锦标赛的半决赛。
He drives a semi for a living.
他以开半挂卡车为生。
A semi truck was parked on the highway.
一辆半挂卡车停在了高速公路上。
Not this
I saw semi on highway.
Use this
I saw a semi on the highway.
在英语中，semi作为可数名词，表示半挂式卡车或半决赛，使用时需要加冠词（如a或the）。中文学习者常因汉语名词前无需冠词而遗漏，导致错误。改正后加上冠词a，符合英语语法。
Not this
The team played two semies.
Use this
The team played two semis.
semi的复数形式是semis，而不是semies。中文学习者可能受规则复数加-es的影响而错误拼写。正确形式semis是直接加s，符合以元音结尾的缩写词复数规则。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
进入半决赛
After a strong season, they reached the semis of the national championship.
经过一个出色的赛季，他们进入了全国锦标赛的半决赛。
赢得半决赛
She won the semi in straight sets and advanced to the final.
她直落两盘赢得了半决赛并晋级决赛。
半挂卡车
A semi truck was parked in the rest area for the night.
一辆半挂卡车停在休息区过夜。
驾驶半挂卡车
My uncle used to drive a semi for a freight company.
我叔叔曾为一家货运公司驾驶半挂卡车。
半挂卡车司机
Semi drivers must pass a special written test.
半挂卡车司机必须通过一项专门的笔试。
Use semi naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
semi 前缀意为“半”：半决赛是半程较量，半挂车后半有轮像被截半，记住 semi 即半。
语域：informal 常见场景：sports broadcasting、post-match discussions semi 是 semifinal 的口语缩写，通常用于体育赛事报道或日常谈论比赛时；正式写作中更常见完整形式 semifinal。
以上词中，taxi, sushi, kiwi, spaghetti, bikini 都以字母 i 结尾，且末尾的 i 都发 /i/（或 /iː/），但重读元音不同，因此都不与 semi 押韵。enemy /ˈɛnəmi/ 拼写与 semi 相近（-emy vs -emi），但发音和重音差别较大。semi 的重读元音是短音 e，不要误读为 /ˈseɪmi/ 或 /ˈsaɪmi/。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.