なし崩す

• Reading: なしくずす
• Romaji: nashikuzusu
• Kanji breakdown: 崩 (hō/kuzu) — crumble, collapse, break down
• Pronunciation: /na.ɕi.kɯ.zɯ.sɯ/

Meaning

To do something bit by bit; to erode gradually; to whittle away at a rule, principle, or situation until it collapses.

A Group 1 (godan) verb. The core sense is of gradual, incremental erosion — as if crumbling something piece by piece until nothing remains. In modern usage it often appears as なし崩し的に (in a piecemeal, de facto manner), describing how rules, promises, or agreements are quietly abandoned in small steps rather than through open confrontation. The phrase has a negative connotation, implying a lack of principle or transparency.

Examples

1. 当初の約束がなし崩しに変更されていき、最終的にはまったく別の条件になっていた。 The original agreement was changed bit by bit in a piecemeal fashion, until the final terms were completely different from what had been promised.
2. 既成事実を積み重ねることで、なし崩し的に方針を転換する手法は批判を招きやすい。 The approach of quietly shifting policy by accumulating fait accompli — rather than announcing changes openly — tends to draw criticism.
3. 残業禁止のルールも例外を繰り返すうちになし崩されて、誰も守らなくなってしまった。 The no-overtime rule was gradually eroded through repeated exceptions until nobody followed it any more.

Usage Guide

Context: business, politics, workplace, social commentary

Tone: negative

Origin & History

Derived from 済し崩し (nashi-kuzushi), originally a financial term meaning to pay off a debt gradually in small instalments. The metaphor of chipping away at a debt extended to the broader sense of dismantling something incrementally without direct acknowledgement.

Cultural Context

Era: Contemporary

Generation: Adult

Social background: General