舞い込む

• Reading: まいこむ
• Romaji: maikomu
• Kanji breakdown: 舞 (mai) — dance, flutter; 込 (ko) — come in, go into
• Pronunciation: /ma.i.ko.mɯ/

Meaning

To fly in unexpectedly; to come out of nowhere; to arrive as a pleasant surprise.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb from 舞う (to dance/flutter) + 込む (to come in). The image is of something drifting in on the wind like a leaf or butterfly—unannounced and unexpected. Almost always used for positive or at least neutral surprises: 仕事が舞い込む (work comes in), チャンスが舞い込む (an opportunity arrives). Rarely used for unwelcome things.

Examples

1. 突然、大手企業からの仕事の依頼が舞い込んだ。 Out of the blue, a work request from a major corporation came drifting in.
2. 期待していなかった賞が舞い込み、彼女は思わず涙した。 An award she had not been expecting arrived out of nowhere, and she wept without thinking.
3. 引退を考えていた矢先に、思わぬオファーが舞い込んできた。 Just as she was considering retirement, an unexpected offer came her way.

Usage Guide

Context: business, narrative, good news, daily life

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Compound of 舞う (to dance, flutter, whirl) + 込む (to come into). The poetic image of something dancing its way through the door lends the verb its connotation of pleasant, graceful, and unexpected arrival, distinct from more neutral arrival verbs like 来る or 届く.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal