1.
to give up; to throw in the towel; to abandon hope
To give up on something or someone because further effort seems futile. Originally from the image of a doctor giving up on treating a patient and tossing away the medicine spoon.
医者もさじを投げた。
Even the doctor gave up.
先生はあの生徒にさじを投げた。
The teacher gave up on that student.
何度やってもうまくいかず、とうとうさじを投げてしまった。
No matter how many times I tried it didn't work, and I finally threw in the towel.
An idiomatic expression meaning to abandon an effort as hopeless. The さじ (spoon) refers to a medicine-measuring spoon used in traditional Chinese medicine. When a doctor could no longer help a patient, they would figuratively throw away the spoon — hence, giving up.
ETYMOLOGY:
From traditional medicine: さじ is a small spoon used to measure herbal medicines. A doctor throwing it away symbolized that no more treatment could help.
USAGE:
Often used with に to indicate the person or thing being given up on. The expression carries a strong sense of finality — the situation is beyond saving.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- さじを投げる — to give up (standard form)
- さじを投げたくなる — to feel like giving up
- 医者がさじを投げる — the doctor gives up (classic usage)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 諦める — to give up (general, less dramatic)
- 匙加減 — adjustment, moderation (also uses さじ but different meaning)