帳消し

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 帳消し(ちょうけし) means canceling an existing effect or difference, or offsetting things against each other.
• Basic usage: It describes a failure wiping out the value of earlier effort or profits and losses offsetting each other.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• An action and its result
  • 帳消しにする describes canceling something out; 帳消しになる describes the resulting cancellation or loss of effect.
• Past facts and their effect
  • Applied to effort, 帳消し figuratively describes its results or value being lost.