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水掛け論 (みずかけろん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Meanings 1
noun
endless argument ; pointless dispute ; futile discussion
Refers to a back-and-forth argument that never reaches a conclusion, like two people arguing over whose field to water during a drought. The literal image is of a futile dispute where neither side can win.
か
け
論ろん
を
続つづ
け
て
いる
。
They keep arguing endlessly about who should go first.
Written forms 水みず 掛か け 論ろん
水みず かけ 論ろん
Common variant using kana for 掛け.
水みず 掛かけ 論ろん
Abbreviated spelling; less common.
Similar words 不ふ 毛もう な 議ぎ 論ろん 不毛な議論 is a more general term for a fruitless discussion, while 水掛け論 specifically implies a repetitive, back-and-forth argument with no resolution.
堂どう 々どう 巡めぐ り 堂々巡り refers to going around in circles in a discussion, similar to 水掛け論, but can also apply to circular reasoning or repetitive thought patterns.
Etymology Literally 'water-splashing argument', from the image of two farmers arguing over whose field to water during a drought, a dispute that cannot be resolved. The exact historical origin is uncertain, but the phrase is well-established in modern Japanese.
