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水に流す (みずにながす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
expression, godan verb (-su)
forgive and forget ; let bygones be bygones ; wipe the slate clean
Idiomatic expression meaning to let past troubles or grudges go, as if washing them away with water. Often used when reconciling or moving on from a conflict.
かれ
は
過か
去こ
の
失しっ
敗ぱい
を
水みず
に
流なが
して
、
新あたら
しい
仕し
事ごと
に
集しゅう
中ちゅう
し
た
。
He let bygones be bygones and focused on his new job.
Similar words 許ゆる す 許す means 'to forgive' or 'to permit' in a general sense, while 水に流す specifically implies letting go of past grievances and moving on, often in a relationship context.
忘わす れる 忘れる simply means 'to forget,' whereas 水に流す carries the nuance of intentionally choosing to overlook past wrongs for the sake of harmony.
Etymology The expression literally means 'to flush away with water,' evoking the image of washing away dirt or impurities. It is a metaphorical extension of the physical act of cleansing, used idiomatically to refer to clearing away emotional or relational baggage.
