1.
octopus wiring; overloading a single electrical outlet
Running many appliances off one wall socket through stacked adapters and power strips, so the cords spread out like an octopus's legs. Treated in Japan as a well-known fire hazard.
From たこ (octopus) plus 配線 (wiring): one socket with cords radiating from it.
Common collocations
- たこ足配線になる: to end up as octopus wiring
- たこ足配線を避ける: to avoid overloading an outlet
- たこ足配線は危険: octopus wiring is hazardous
Cultural note
The phrase appears constantly in fire-prevention posters and household safety advice, so most Japanese speakers meet it as a warning rather than a technical term. It is also used figuratively for any overloaded single point, such as one worker handling too many jobs.