折半

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The written form is 折半, read せっぱん. Elements for dividing and half combine to denote splitting a cost or burden into two equal shares.
• Basic usage: 二人で折半する describes two travelers sharing lodging costs equally, while 店と客が折半する describes a shop and customer agreeing to bear half the repair cost each.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Lodging costs shared by two people
  • The two travelers divide the lodging cost equally between them. Example: 旅行中の宿泊費は二人で折半した。 — We split the lodging cost equally between us.
• Equal shares for shop and customer
  • The shop and customer agree that each will bear one half of the repair cost. Example: 修理代を店と客が折半することで合意した。 — The shop and customer agreed to divide the repair cost in half.