デスマーチ
Significado: Death march — an extremely grueling work period with unrealistic deadlines, minimal rest, and intense pressure to deliver.
Originally from software engineering, デスマーチ describes the nightmare scenario of a project with an impossible deadline where team members work around the clock. It became infamous in Japan's IT industry during the 2000s-2010s, where chronic understaffing and poor project management led to routine death marches. The term has expanded beyond IT to describe any period of relentless crunch. It's often discussed alongside karoshi (death from overwork).
Ejemplos
- あのプロジェクト、完全にデスマーチに突入してる。 那个项目已经完全进入死亡行军状态了。Ese proyecto ha entrado de lleno en una marcha de la muerte.저 프로젝트, 완전히 デスマーチ(데스마치)에 돌입했어.
- デスマーチで3週間まともに寝てない、限界だ。 死亡行军搞了三周没正经睡过觉,已经到极限了。Llevo tres semanas sin dormir bien por la marcha de la muerte, estoy al límite.デスマーチ 때문에 3주째 제대로 못 자고 있어, 한계야.
- デスマーチになるのは、だいたい見積もりが甘いからだよ。 之所以变成死亡行军,基本都是因为估算太乐观了。Las marchas de la muerte casi siempre se deben a estimaciones demasiado optimistas.デスマーチ가 되는 건 대부분 일정 산정이 허술해서야.
Pronunciación
/de.su ma.a.tɕi/
Guía de uso
Contexto: workplace, IT industry, social media
Tono: exhausted, dark humor
✓ Correcto
- このままだとデスマーチ確定だから、スケジュール見直そう。 (At this rate we're heading for a death march — let's revisit the schedule.)照这样下去肯定是死亡行军了,重新看看排期吧。(再这样下去就是死亡行军了——我们重新审视一下排期吧。)A este ritmo la marcha de la muerte es segura — revisemos el calendario.이대로면 デスマーチ 확정이니까 일정을 다시 보자. (이러다간 데스마치 확정이니까 스케줄을 재검토하자.)
- デスマーチ乗り越えたメンバーの団結力はすごいよね。 (The bond between people who survived a death march together is strong.)一起熬过死亡行军的成员之间的凝聚力真的很强。(一起扛过死亡行军的人之间的羁绊真的很深。)El vínculo entre las personas que sobrevivieron juntas a una marcha de la muerte es increíble.デスマーチ를 함께 견뎌낸 멤버들의 단결력은 대단하지. (데스마치를 함께 살아남은 사람들의 유대감은 정말 강해.)
✗ Incorrecto
- 上層部に「デスマーチです」と報告しても「頑張れ」としか返ってこないことが多い (Reporting 'we're in a death march' to upper management often just gets 'do your best' in response)向高层汇报说'我们在死亡行军',得到的回答往往只是'加油'(向上层汇报'我们在死亡行军',通常只会换来一句'加油')Informar a la dirección de que «estamos en una marcha de la muerte» a menudo solo consigue un «seguid adelante» como respuesta.윗선에 'デスマーチです(데스마치입니다)'라고 보고해도 '힘내라'는 답만 돌아오는 경우가 많다 (경영진에 '데스마치 상태입니다'라고 보고해도 '잘 해봐'라는 답만 돌아오는 경우가 많다)
Errores comunes
- Using デスマーチ for normal busy periods — it specifically implies unsustainable, health-threatening workloads
- Not understanding the dark irony — workers use it with a mix of complaint and perverse pride
Origen e historia
From English 'death march,' a term popularized by Edward Yourdon's 1997 book about dysfunctional software projects. Quickly adopted in Japan's IT industry where chronic overwork was endemic. Became a widely understood workplace term by the 2000s.
Contexto cultural
Era: 2000s-2010s, widespread in Japanese IT industry
Generation: Working adults, especially IT workers
Social background: IT engineers, project teams
Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Particularly associated with the IT industry and SIer (system integrator) culture.
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