half; 50%
Used for a half portion or 50% of something, often in contexts like probability, division, or mixture.
The probability of success is fifty-fifty.
Mix sake and water in equal parts.
5 parts; 5%
Specifically five parts out of a whole, or 5%. Less common than the 'half' sense; context usually makes the meaning clear.
This alloy contains five parts copper.
Often used in the compound 五分五分 (fifty-fifty) or in phrases like 五分の勝負 (an even match). Implies equal standing or a tie.
See also: 五分五分
The match was an even contest.
The two are evenly matched in ability.
We split the cake in half and ate it.
It remained an even match right up to the end.
Whether we win this match is a fifty-fifty chance.
The newcomer held their own against the experienced player.
半々 is the everyday, colloquial word for splitting something in half, whereas 五分 sounds slightly more formal or literary when expressing the same 50% idea.
五分 often implies an exact 50-50 split or tie, while 互角 simply means the two sides are closely matched without claiming perfect equality.
Standard kanji spelling for all senses.
From 五 (five) and 分 (part, portion). Literally 'five parts', which came to mean 'half' (five out of ten) and by extension 'equal' or 'tie'.