He was only half joking.

他只是在半开玩笑。

youdao

It's going to be the first time they're going to see a video of their father doing something positive in life, only half-joking.

这大概是我的孩子们头一回在屏幕上看到他们的老爹干了些好事，只是开个小玩笑。

youdao

He is only half joking.

ECONOMIST: Military service makes Israeli techies tougher

I'd always said, only half-joking, that my biggest ambition was to interview the Scot who had just won The Open, thinking it would be Colin or maybe Sam Torrance or Andy Coltart.

BBC: team