足踏(あしぶ)み

足踏(あしぶ)み literally means stepping in place without moving forward. The figurative sense of stagnation or standstill is very common, especially in news and business contexts.

Forms

足(あし) (foot) + 踏(ふ)む (to step). Written as a compound noun.

Verb usage

• 足踏(あしぶ)みする (to mark time; to stagnate)
• 足踏(あしぶ)みを続(つづ)ける (to continue stagnating)

Common collocations

• 足踏(あしぶ)み状態(じょうたい) (state of stagnation)
• 景気(けいき)の足踏(あしぶ)み (economic stagnation)
• 交渉(こうしょう)が足踏(あしぶ)みする (negotiations stall)

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The literal sense (marching in place) appears in physical activity contexts like 運動会(うんどうかい). The figurative sense is more formal, common in news reporting and business discussions.