also: しりつぼみ
noun
tapering off; weak ending; anticlimax
Describes something that starts strong but gradually loses momentum, becomes smaller, or ends weakly. Often used for stories, events, trends, or physical shapes that narrow toward the end.
その映画は前半は面白かったが、後半は尻すぼみだった。
The movie was interesting in the first half, but the second half tapered off.
景気回復は尻すぼみに終わった。
The economic recovery ended in an anticlimax.
Rare kanji spelling using 窄; can also be read しりつぼみ.
Alternate spelling with つ; reading しりつぼみ is also used.
A four-character idiom with a similar meaning of an anticlimactic ending, but more literary and formal.
Compound of 尻 (buttocks, end) and すぼみ (narrowing, from verb すぼむ 'to become narrow'). Literally 'narrowing at the end', describing something that tapers off.