ほとぼりが冷さめる

Meanings

the heat is off; things calm down; excitement dies down

Idiomatic expression meaning that a heated situation, public uproar, or intense interest has subsided. Often used when media attention or public anger fades.

あの事じ件けんも、ほとぼりが冷さめるまで待まったほうがいい。
It's better to wait until the heat dies down over that incident.
騒そう動どうのほとぼりが冷さめてから、彼かれは再ふたたび公おおやけの場ばに現あらわれた。
After the excitement over the scandal died down, he appeared in public again.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

冷cool, cold (beer, person), chill
熱heat, temperature, fever

Related words

冷さめる
冷める is a general verb meaning 'to cool down' (intransitive). ほとぼりが冷める is a fixed idiomatic phrase specifically for situations or emotions cooling off.
熱ねつが冷さめる
熱が冷める can literally mean 'fever goes down' or figuratively 'enthusiasm wanes', but ほとぼりが冷める is more about public or social heat dissipating.

Written forms

ほとぼりが冷さめる
Standard kana-mixed spelling; the kanji 冷める is common for 'cool down'.
熱ほとぼりが冷さめる
rarely-used kanji form
Rare kanji form using 熱り for ほとぼり; it is rarely used.

Etymology

ほとぼり (熱り) originally refers to lingering heat or warmth. Combined with 冷める (to cool down), the phrase figuratively means that residual heat—such as public anger or excitement—has subsided.