海岬 (hǎijiǎ, cape) — use 半岛 when referring to a landmass connected to the mainland, not a protruding point of land into the sea.

Think of 半 (bàn) as 'half' and 岛 (dǎo) as 'island'. Picture a half-island sticking out into the ocean, surrounded on three sides by water. Visualize it being 'half' surrounded by 'island' to help remember that a peninsula is like a half-island!

When using 半岛, be mindful of the context; it's primarily used in formal settings or discussions about geography and may not be as common in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with 岛 (dǎo), which means 'island'—remember that a peninsula is not fully surrounded by water.

While 半岛 is not in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 4 terms related to geography and nature, such as 海洋 (hǎiyáng - ocean) and 岛屿 (dǎoyǔ - islands). Students should focus on recognizing how geographical terms are constructed in Mandarin.

The term 半岛 is often associated with significant geographic locations in China, such as the Shandong Peninsula, which has a rich cultural and historical significance and is known for its coastal cuisine and scenic beauty.

A common mistake is using 半岛 incorrectly to refer to an island, such as saying '海边的半岛' (hǎibiān de bàn dǎo) when you mean 'island'. The correct term for an island is 岛 (dǎo), so make sure to differentiate between the two.