1.
being dropped; coming to nothing; falling through; abandonment of a plan
A plan, discussion, proposal, or matter that gradually fades away and is never carried out or concluded. Implies that something was simply left unresolved rather than explicitly cancelled.
あの計画は沙汰止みになった。
That plan fell through.
転勤の話は沙汰止みになったようだ。
The talk of a transfer seems to have been dropped.
予算の問題で、新しいビルの建設計画は沙汰止みになってしまった。
Due to budget issues, the plan to build a new building ended up being abandoned.
沙汰 means 'news, decision, or proceedings,' and 止み means 'ceasing.' Together, they describe a situation where communication or action simply stops — not with a formal cancellation, but by gradually fading into silence.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ～は沙汰止みになった — ... was dropped / came to nothing
- 沙汰止みになる — to fall through, to be abandoned
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 立ち消え — dying out, fizzling out (very similar nuance)
- 白紙に戻す — to return to a blank slate (explicit cancellation, not gradual)
- 頓挫 — setback, stalling (implies hitting an obstacle, not fading away)