さじを投(な)げる

さじをなげる
expression
to give up; to throw in the towel
idiom
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(いしゃ)もさじを投(な)げた。
Even the doctor gave up.
先生(せんせい)はあの生徒(せいと)にさじを投(な)げた。
The teacher gave up on that student.
何度(なんど)やってもうまくいかず、とうとうさじを投(な)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(な)げる — to give up (standard form)
  • さじを投(な)げたくなる — to feel like giving up
  • 医者(いしゃ)がさじを投(な)げる — the doctor gives up (classic usage)

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 諦(あきら)める (to give up)
Compare: 匙加減(さじかげん) (adjustment, moderation)
general
Added 2026.3.29 23:04 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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