ボディーブロー

• 読み: ボディーブロー
• ローマ字: bodii buroo
• 漢字の分解: From English 'body blow' — a boxing punch to the torso that weakens gradually rather than knocking out immediately
• 発音: /bo.di.i.bu.ɾo.o/

意味

Body blow — something that hits you with a delayed, accumulating impact, like a slow-building punch to the gut.

Borrowed from boxing terminology, ボディーブロー in slang describes something that doesn't knock you out immediately but gradually wears you down. Used for emotional damage that sinks in over time, accumulating stress, or a joke/remark that you don't react to at first but that keeps eating at you. The metaphor perfectly captures the distinction between an immediate shock and a slow-burning impact.

例文

1. あの一言、ボディーブローのようにじわじわ効いてきた。
2. 毎日の残業がボディーブローみたいに効いてる。
3. 元カノの結婚報告、ボディーブローだった。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, social media, casual conversation

トーン: reflective, pained

正しい言い方

• ボディーブローみたいにじわじわくる。 (It's hitting me slowly, like a body blow.)
• 睡眠不足がボディーブローのように効いてきた。 (Sleep deprivation is catching up to me like a body blow.)

避ける言い方

• 即効性のあるショックに「ボディーブロー」は不正確 (Using body blow for an immediate shock is inaccurate — it implies gradual effect)

よくある間違い

• Using ボディーブロー for instant impact — the whole point is the delayed, accumulating effect
• Not knowing the じわじわ効く (gradually takes effect) phrase that often accompanies it

起源と歴史

From boxing, where a body blow targets the torso rather than the head — it doesn't cause an immediate knockout but gradually saps the opponent's strength. Adopted into Japanese slang to describe any slowly accumulating impact.

文化的背景

時代: 2000s casual speech, boxing metaphor

世代: Adults (20s and up)

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used across Japan. A well-understood sports metaphor that transcends boxing fandom.