大半(たいはん)

たいはん
noun; adverb
majority; most of
1. majority; greater part; most of
More than half of something; the largest portion of a group or quantity.
参加者(さんかしゃ)の大半(たいはん)は学生(がくせい)だった。
The majority of participants were students.
時間(じかん)の大半(たいはん)を読書(どくしょ)に費(つい)やす。
I spend most of my time reading.
仕事(しごと)は大半(たいはん)終(お)わった。
Most of the work is finished.

大半(たいはん) means "the majority" or "most of" something, typically indicating more than 50%.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 〜の大半(たいはん) (the majority of ~)
  • 大半(たいはん)が〜 (most are ~)
  • 大半(たいはん)は〜 (for the most part, ~)

SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:

  • ほとんど: almost all, nearly (closer to 90-100%)
  • 大部分(だいぶぶん): the greater part (similar to 大半(たいはん))
  • 過半数(かはんすう): majority (specifically more than half, often in voting)
  • 大多数(だいたすう): the great majority

NUANCE:

  • 大半(たいはん) suggests roughly 60-80%
  • It's less absolute than ほとんど but clearly more than half

Related Words

Synonym: 大部分(だいぶぶん) (greater part)
Related: ほとんど (almost all)
general
Added 2026.1.13 12:14 · Revised 2026.2.5 21:32
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