八はっ方ぽう塞ふさがり

は

っ

ぽ

う

ふ

さ

が

り

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

being boxed in on all sides; having no way out; being at a loss

Describes a situation where every direction is blocked, leaving no escape or solution. Often used figuratively for feeling stuck or helpless.

八はっ方ぽう塞ふさがりの状じょう態たいで、どう動うごけばいい

か

わから

ない

。

I'm in a situation where I'm boxed in on all sides and don't know what to do.

就しゅう職しょく活かつ動どうが八はっ方ぽう塞ふさがりで、なかなか内ない定ていがもらえない。

My job hunting is going nowhere; I just can't get a job offer.

Kanji

八eight, eight radical (no. 12)
方direction, person, alternative
塞close, shut, cover

Related words

行いき詰づまる
Focuses on reaching a dead end or impasse, often in a process or plan, while 八方塞がり emphasizes being blocked from all sides.
手て詰づまり
Means having no more moves or options left, similar to a stalemate; 八方塞がり is more about being surrounded by obstacles.

Written forms

八はっ方ぽう塞ふさがり
Standard kanji spelling.
八はっ方ぽうふさがり
Kana-mixed variant; common in everyday writing.
八方塞はっぽうふさがり
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana usage; rarely seen.
八方塞はっぽうふさがり
irregular okurigana
Irregular okurigana usage; rarely seen.

Etymology

From 八方 (all directions) + 塞がり (blocked, from 塞がる). The literal image is of every direction being obstructed, leading to the figurative sense of being stuck.