Translation guide
A cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through specific economic terms, but in everyday conversation, it often appears in phrases about not being able to let go of past investments.
The formal economic concept of a cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered.
The standard economic term for sunk cost. Used in business and academic contexts.
埋没費用は意思決定に関係ない。
Sunk costs are irrelevant to decision-making.
Loanword from English, commonly used in business and economics discussions.
サンクコストを考慮してはいけない。
You must not consider sunk costs.
An alternative accounting term for sunk cost, less common than 埋没費用.
埋没原価は回収不能なコストです。
Sunk costs are unrecoverable costs.
The psychological tendency to continue an endeavor because of previously invested resources (time, money, effort), even when it's no longer rational.
A natural way to express the feeling of not wanting to waste what you've already put in. Literally 'can't stop because it's a waste'.
もうやめたほうがいいけど、もったいないからやめられない。
I know I should quit, but I can't because of all I've already put into it.
Used to justify continuing because of the effort already invested. Similar to 'having come this far'.
ここまでやったからには、最後までやり遂げたい。
Having come this far, I want to see it through to the end.
Expresses reluctance to abandon something because of the effort or opportunity already invested. Often used with verbs like 買った (bought), 始めた (started), etc.
せっかく買ったのに、使わないのはもったいない。
It would be a waste not to use it after I went to the trouble of buying it.
A pattern indicating that because of a previous action or statement, one feels compelled to continue. Often used to explain why one can't back out.
自分からやると言った手前、今さらやめられない。
Since I said I'd do it myself, I can't back out now.
Describing money spent that cannot be gotten back, without the economic theory nuance.
Literally 'money that doesn't come back'. A simple, everyday way to describe a sunk cost.
その投資はもう戻ってこないお金だ。
That investment is money we'll never get back.
A more formal phrase meaning 'unrecoverable cost', used in business contexts.
このプロジェクトにかかった費用は回収不能なコストとみなされる。
The expenses incurred for this project are considered sunk costs.
The literal translation '沈んだコスト' is not used in Japanese. Use the economic terms or the natural phrases provided.
The concept of もったいない (mottainai) often captures the emotional aspect of sunk costs. It expresses regret over waste and can be used to explain why someone continues a failing endeavor.