賽さいの河原かわら

expression, noun

Children's Limbo; Sai-no-Kawara

In Japanese Buddhist folklore, the riverbank in the underworld where children who died before their parents are said to pile stones as penance, only to have them knocked down by demons. Often used in the phrase 賽の河原の石積み.

• 賽さいの河原かわらでは、子こ供どもたちが小こ石いしを積つんでは鬼おにに崩くずされる。

  At Sai-no-Kawara, children pile up pebbles only to have them knocked down by demons.

expression, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

futile effort; endless unrewarding toil

Figurative use likening a repetitive, seemingly pointless task to the stone-piling in the Buddhist limbo. Often used in the set phrase 賽の河原のような.

• 毎まい日にち同おなじ作さ業ぎょうの繰くり返かえしで、まるで賽さいの河原かわらのような気き分ぶんだ。

  Repeating the same task every day feels like an endless, futile effort.