引(ひ)き潮(しお)

ひきしお

noun

ebb tide; low tide

1. ebb tide; receding tide

The outgoing or falling tide, when the water level is dropping.

引(ひ)き潮(しお)で岩場(いわば)が現(あらわ)れた。

The rocky area appeared as the tide went out.

引(ひ)き潮(しお)の時(とき)に貝(かい)を拾(ひろ)う。

Collect shellfish when the tide is out.

引(ひ)き潮(しお)の時間帯(じかんたい)に潮干狩(しおひが)りに出(で)かけた。

We went clamming during low tide.

2. waning; decline

Used figuratively to describe something losing momentum or declining from a peak.

ブームも引(ひ)き潮(しお)になってきた。

The boom is starting to wane.

一時(いちじ)は大(おお)きな盛(も)り上(あ)がりを見(み)せたが、今(いま)は引(ひ)き潮(しお)のように静(しず)かになった。

There was a great surge of excitement for a while, but now things have quieted down like an ebb tide.

選挙(せんきょ)の後(あと)、支持(しじ)は引(ひ)き潮(しお)のように減(へ)っていった。

After the election, support ebbed away like a receding tide.

Composition: 引(ひ)く (to pull, recede) + 潮(しお) (tide).

RELATED WORDS (tides):

満潮(まんちょう): high tide (the highest point)
干潮(かんちょう): low tide (the lowest point)
満(み)ち潮(しお)/上(あ)げ潮(しお): rising (flood) tide
下(さ)げ潮(しお): falling tide, a synonym of 引(ひ)き潮(しお)
潮(しお)の満(み)ち引(ひ)き: tidal movement

Usage

Describes decline from a peak
Loss of momentum
Waning enthusiasm or popularity
Ebb and flow of fortune

Related words

潮(しお)が引(ひ)く: the tide goes out
潮(しお)が満(み)ちる: the tide comes in
潮(しお)の流(なが)れ: tidal current
潮干狩(しおひが)り: clamming at low tide

SEASONAL WORD (季語(きご)): The related term 潮干狩(しおひが)り (clamming at low tide) is a classic spring kigo in haiku; 引(ひ)き潮(しお) itself is not seasonal.

Related Words

Antonym: 満(み)ち潮(しお) (high tide)

Synonym: 干潮(かんちょう) (low tide (Sino-Japanese))

Related: 潮干狩(しおひが)り (clamming at low tide)

Related: 満潮(まんちょう) (high tide)

general

Added 2026.1.19 8:54 · Revised 2026.10.11 21:23

07000/07148_hikishio