綱引(つなひ)き

つなひき
noun
tug-of-war; power struggle
sportspolitics
1. tug-of-war
A sport or game in which two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope, each trying to pull the other team past a center line.
運動会(うんどうかい)で綱引(つなひ)きをした。
We played tug-of-war at the sports day.
綱引(つなひ)きで白組(しろぐみ)が勝(か)った。
The white team won the tug-of-war.
綱引(つなひ)きはチームワークが大切(たいせつ)だ。
Teamwork is important in tug-of-war.
2. power struggle; tug-of-war (figurative)
A competitive back-and-forth struggle between opposing forces, such as political factions, businesses, or negotiators.
与党(よとう)と野党(やとう)の綱引(つなひ)きが続(つづ)いている。
The power struggle between the ruling and opposition parties continues.
労使(ろうし)の綱引(つなひ)きは長期化(ちょうきか)している。
The tug-of-war between labor and management has dragged on.
両国(りょうこく)の外交(がいこう)交渉(こうしょう)は綱引(つなひ)きの状態(じょうたい)が続(つづ)いている。
The diplomatic negotiations between the two countries remain in a tug-of-war.

A compound of 綱(つな) (rope) and 引(ひ)き (pulling).

Literal sense

One of the most popular events at Japanese 運動会(うんどうかい) (sports days) held in schools and communities. Two teams pull opposite ends of a thick rope, making it a test of collective strength.

Figurative sense

Commonly used in news and politics to describe competitive back-and-forth between opposing sides. Unlike English "tug-of-war," the Japanese figurative use is standard and not at all clichéd.

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.17 19:34 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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