1.
room for growth; potential for improvement; upside
The amount of potential remaining for someone or something to grow, improve, or develop further. Often used to describe people's abilities or a market's untapped potential.
まだまだ伸びしろがある。
There is still plenty of room for growth.
この選手は伸びしろが大きい。
This athlete has great potential for improvement.
若い社員の伸びしろに期待して、積極的に仕事を任せている。
Expecting growth potential in young employees, we actively entrust them with work.
伸びしろ is a relatively modern word that has become very popular. It combines 伸びる (to grow, to extend) with しろ (margin, allowance — the same しろ as in 糊しろ, the margin for gluing).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 伸びしろがある (to have room for growth)
- 伸びしろが大きい (to have great growth potential)
- 伸びしろに期待する (to look forward to someone's growth potential)
USAGE NOTES:
Frequently used in sports, business, and education contexts to describe someone or something that has not yet reached full potential. It carries a positive connotation — emphasizing opportunity rather than current shortcomings. Unlike 可能性 (possibility), which is general, 伸びしろ specifically implies measurable room for improvement from the current level.