気き勢せいを削そぐ

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-gu)

dampen someone's spirit; take the wind out of someone's sails

Used when someone's enthusiasm, momentum, or fighting spirit is weakened, often by a remark, event, or setback.

彼かれの一ひと言ことでチームの気き勢せいを削そがれた。
His single remark dampened the team's spirit.
雨あめで観かん客きゃくの気き勢せいが削そがれた

。

The rain took the wind out of the spectators' sails.

Written forms

気き勢せいを削そぐ
Standard kanji spelling; 削ぐ is the usual character for 'to dampen, to reduce' in this expression.
気き勢せいを殺そぐ
Variant spelling using 殺ぐ, which can also mean 'to reduce' but is less common for this expression.

Kanji

気spirit, mind, air
勢forces, energy, military strength
削plane, sharpen, whittle
殺kill, murder, butcher

Similar words

勢いきおいをそぐ
Similar meaning but more general: 'to reduce momentum or force'. 気勢を削ぐ specifically targets morale or enthusiasm.
出で鼻ばなをくじく
Means 'to nip in the bud' or 'to thwart at the outset', focusing on stopping something before it gains momentum, while 気勢を削ぐ is about dampening existing spirit.

Etymology

Compound of 気勢 (spirit, vigor) + を + 削ぐ (to chip off, reduce). The verb 削ぐ originally means to slice or shave off, metaphorically extended to reducing intangible things like spirit.