空回り

• 読み: からまわり
• ローマ字: karamawari
• 漢字の分解: 空 (empty/idle) + 回り (spinning/turning) → spinning without traction, wheels spinning in place
• 発音: /ka.ɾa.ma.wa.ɾi/

意味

Spinning wheels — putting in effort that produces no results or backfires, trying hard but getting absolutely nowhere.

The image is of wheels spinning without traction — lots of visible effort but zero forward movement. 空回り describes the painful situation where enthusiasm and hard work fail to translate into results, or worse, make things worse. It's often used sympathetically for well-meaning people whose efforts misfire. A classic 空回り scenario: someone who prepares an elaborate surprise party but gets the date wrong. The word captures both the wasted effort and the second-hand embarrassment of watching it happen.

例文

1. 張り切りすぎて空回りしてる感じ。
2. 空回りしてる自分が恥ずかしい。
3. 善意の空回りって一番迷惑なんだよな。

使い方ガイド

場面: friends, workplace, casual conversation

トーン: sympathetic, awkward

正しい言い方

• 空回りしてるの分かってるけど、止められない。 (I know I'm spinning my wheels, but I can't stop.)
• 新人が空回りしてるの見ると、昔の自分を思い出す。 (Watching a newbie spin their wheels reminds me of my old self.)

避ける言い方

• 一生懸命やっている人に「空回り」と直接言うのは残酷 (Telling someone who is trying their hardest that they're 'spinning their wheels' is cruel)

よくある間違い

• Using 空回り only negatively — it can be used with a sympathetic, understanding tone for well-meaning but misguided effort

起源と歴史

Standard Japanese compound from 空 (empty/idle) and 回り (spinning). Originally a mechanical term for wheels spinning without grip, the figurative meaning of wasted effort has been in use for generations.

文化的背景

時代: Traditional expression, not era-specific

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal

地域メモ: Used nationwide. A well-established metaphor understood across all generations and contexts.