Puolitähtiin

Puolitähtiin is a Finnish colloquial term used to describe a rating of half a star on a five-star scale. It is commonly employed in online reviews, blogs, forums, and social media to express a low-quality impression without resorting to stronger language. The word is a compound of puoli (half) and tähti (star), functioning as a concise way to indicate a subpar evaluation.

In practice, puolitähtiin signals a rating around 0.5 stars on systems that allow halves, or a similarly low assessment on five-star scales. It is typically used when a reviewer wants to acknowledge minimal merit while still deeming the overall result disappointing or average. The term is more prevalent in informal contexts than in formal reviews, which may use numerical scores or full star ratings.

Usage notes: Common sentences include phrases like elokuva sai puolitähtiin or palvelu sai puolitähtiin arvostelussa. The expression conveys dissatisfaction but remains less harsh than a one-star verdict. It is especially common in consumer media, user reviews, and online discussions, where readers understand the implied evaluation without needing formal criteria.

See also: star rating, half-star systems, Finnish online culture.