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Yomi
ふりだしにもどる
Rōmaji
furidashi ni modoru
Type
idiom
Literal Meaning
go back to the starting point
Meaning
to go back to square one; to go back to the beginning/original state; to start over
Synonym
やり直す
Additional Info
振り出し is the starting point in すごろく (sugoroku), a traditional Japanese board game. It’s often used to describe when one catches up with the opponent in a sports match and ties the game. Similar to “back to square one”, it’s also used when your plan fails and you start it over again.
Example
彼が同点となるゴールを決めて、試合は振り出しに戻った。
He scored a goal to tie the game, and the game went back to the beginning.