水泡

• Reading: すいほう
• Romaji: suihō
• Kanji breakdown: 水 (sui) — water; 泡 (hō) — bubble, foam
• Pronunciation: /sɯihoː/

Meaning

Bubble; foam; futility; coming to nothing — as in efforts that yield no result.

A noun that literally means a bubble on water, but is almost exclusively used figuratively in the set phrase 水泡に帰す (to come to naught, to evaporate into nothing). This idiom describes all effort or hope dissolving without trace, like a bubble bursting on a pond.

Examples

1. 長年の努力が水泡に帰すとは思いたくない。 I don't want to believe that years of effort could come to nothing.
2. 交渉が決裂し、これまでの成果が水泡に帰してしまった。 Negotiations broke down, and all the progress made so far came to nothing.
3. 計画が水泡に帰さないよう、万全の準備を整えた。 We made thorough preparations so that the plan wouldn't end up in vain.

Usage Guide

Context: literary, formal writing, journalism

Tone: melancholic

Origin & History

From 水 (water) and 泡 (bubble, foam). The metaphor of a water bubble — beautiful but instantly fleeting — has been used in Buddhist and classical Japanese literature to symbolise impermanence and futility.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical–Present

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated