浮沈(ふちん)

ふちん
noun
rise and fall; ups and downs; floating and sinking
formalabstractbusinessfate
1. rise and fall; ups and downs; vicissitudes
the fluctuation between success and failure, prosperity and decline
会社(かいしゃ)の浮沈(ふちん)がかかっている。
The fate of the company hangs in the balance.
Common expression
企業(きぎょう)の浮沈(ふちん)は経営者(けいえいしゃ)の判断(はんだん)に左右(さゆう)される。
A company's rise and fall depends on the decisions of its management.
業界(ぎょうかい)の浮沈(ふちん)を見(み)てきた人物(じんぶつ)だ。
He is someone who has witnessed the ups and downs of the industry.
浮沈(ふちん)を繰(く)り返(かえ)しながら成長(せいちょう)してきた企業(きぎょう)だ。
It is a company that has grown through repeated ups and downs.
国(くに)の浮沈(ふちん)を賭(か)けた戦(たたか)い。
A battle with the nation's fate at stake.
2. floating and sinking
the physical act of rising to the surface and sinking
潜水艦(せんすいかん)の浮沈(ふちん)を調整(ちょうせい)する。
To adjust the surfacing and submerging of a submarine.
ブイが浮沈(ふちん)を繰(く)り返(かえ)している。
The buoy is bobbing up and down.
浮沈(ふちん)子(し)の原理(げんり)を理科(りか)の授業(じゅぎょう)で習(なら)った。
We learned the principle of the Cartesian diver in science class.
浮沈子 (Cartesian diver) is a classic science experiment demonstrating buoyancy

浮沈(ふちん) literally means "floating and sinking" and is most commonly used figuratively to describe the rise and fall of organizations, careers, or nations.

Common expressions

Compounds

  • 浮沈(ふちん)子(し): Cartesian diver (a science experiment demonstrating buoyancy)

Related words

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A formal, literary word. More common in written Japanese, news, and formal speech than in everyday conversation.

Related Words

Synonym: 栄枯(えいこ) (prosperity and decline)
Related: 盛衰(せいすい) (rise and fall)
Related: 興亡(こうぼう) (rise and fall)
Compare: 流転(るてん) (constant change)
general
Added 2026.1.25 14:59 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
08000/08128_fuchin