空振り

• Reading: からぶり
• Romaji: karaburi
• Kanji breakdown: 空 (kuu/kara) — empty, void; 振 (shin/fu) — swing, shake
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɾa.bɯ.ɾi/

Meaning

Striking out; missing the target; a futile effort that results in nothing.

Originally a baseball term for a swing and a miss. Used broadly in everyday Japanese to describe any action that fails to hit its mark — a visit to a shop that is closed, a strategy that backfires, or an investment that yields nothing. The nuance is of wasted energy rather than catastrophic failure.

Examples

1. 訪問先の担当者が不在で完全に空振りだった。 The person in charge at the destination was absent — it was a completely wasted visit.
2. 交渉は空振りに終わり、契約は結べなかった。 The negotiations came to nothing, and no contract could be concluded.
3. 何度も空振りを繰り返しながらも諦めずに挑戦した。 He continued to try without giving up, despite missing the mark time and again.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, business, sports

Tone: wry

Origin & History

Compound of 空 (kara — empty, void) + 振り (furi — swing). From baseball, where an empty swing denotes a miss.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal