大半

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 大半, read as たいはん. It is a noun for the greater part of a group, amount, or period: most of it.
• Basic usage: Referring to most participants appears in 参加者の大半, while spending most of summer vacation somewhere appears in 夏休みの大半を過ごす.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Difference from 過半数
  • It refers ordinarily to the greater part of people, things, or time, while the comparison term formally means a number exceeding half.