(あたまう)

あたまうち
noun
hitting a ceiling, plateauing, peaking
businessabstract
1. hitting a ceiling, plateauing, peaking
A state where growth, increase, or improvement has reached its limit and cannot go higher. Used for numbers, performance, prices, and similar metrics.
売上(うりあげ)頭打(あたまう)ちだ。
Sales have plateaued.
人口(じんこう)増加(ぞうか)頭打(あたまう)ちになっている。
Population growth has hit a ceiling.
Growth in this industry has plateaued, and new strategies are needed.

Key pattern

頭打(あたまう)なる (to plateau, to hit a ceiling) is the most common usage pattern. Also used as a predicate: ~頭打(あたまう)ちだ.

Etymology

(あたま) (head) + ()ち (hitting). The image of hitting one's head on a ceiling above, unable to go higher.

Usage

Primarily used in business, economics, and data contexts. Common subjects include 売上(うりあげ) (sales), 成長(せいちょう) (growth), 株価(かぶか) (stock prices), and 人口(じんこう) (population).