なし崩くずし

noun

paying back in installments; amortization

Original meaning: repayment of a debt in small, gradual installments. Now somewhat dated; the extended sense (sense 2) is far more common.

• 借しゃっ金きんをなし崩くずしで返かえす約やく束そくをした。

  We agreed to pay back the debt in installments.

noun

gradual progression; doing little by little; drifting into a state

Most common modern use. Describes a process that advances step by step, often without a clear plan, and frequently leading to an undesirable or unintended situation. Often used adverbially as なし崩し的に or なし崩しに. Sense 3 (colloquial) adds a nuance of vagueness or quiet fading, but the core idea is the same gradual, unstructured progression.

• 計けい画かくがなし崩くずし的てきに延えん期きされていった。

  The plan was gradually postponed, bit by bit.

• なし崩くずしに仕し事ごとを引ひき受うけてしまった。

  I ended up taking on the work little by little without really deciding to.