1.
to go back to square one; to be reset to zero; to return to a blank slate
For a plan, negotiation, or project to be undone and returned to its initial state with nothing decided.
Literally "to return to blank paper," this expression describes a situation where progress is lost and everything returns to the starting point. The image is of a written-on paper being replaced with a blank one. Often used for plans, negotiations, agreements, and projects.
Usage
- The intransitive 白紙に戻る means something reverts on its own or due to circumstances
- The transitive 白紙に戻す means someone actively resets or scraps something
- Often implies disappointment or frustration at lost progress
- Common in news and business contexts
Common collocations
- 計画が白紙に戻る: the plan goes back to square one
- 交渉が白紙に戻る: negotiations return to zero
- 白紙に戻す: to reset, to scrap (transitive)
- 白紙撤回: complete withdrawal/retraction
Similar words
- 振り出しに戻る: to go back to the starting point — similar meaning; comes from the board game metaphor of returning to start
- ゼロからやり直す: to start over from zero — focuses on the action of restarting rather than the state
- 水の泡になる: to come to nothing — emphasizes that effort was wasted
- 御破算になる: to be cancelled, called off — from abacus terminology; means everything is reset