Looking up...
To scatter or distribute something widely, often in a casual or uncontrolled manner
彼は会議中に資料をばらまいた。
He scattered the documents around during the meeting.
子供たちは花の種を庭にばらまいた。
The children scattered flower seeds in the garden.
Often implies a lack of order or precision in distribution
To hand out or distribute items freely, such as money, gifts, or favors
社長は株主総会で記念品をばらまいた。
The CEO handed out souvenirs freely at the shareholders' meeting.
Can carry a slightly negative connotation of wastefulness or extravagance
'ばらまく' often carries a negative nuance of wastefulness or lack of strategy, especially in political or business discussions. Consider using '配布する' (to distribute) or '分配する' (to allocate) for neutral or formal tone.
Use 'ばらまく' for physical scattering (e.g., seeds, papers) or metaphorical spreading (e.g., rumors, money). The verb emphasizes wide, uncontrolled distribution rather than organized delivery.
Derived from the combination of 'ばら' (meaning 'scattered' or 'separate') and 'まく' (to sprinkle or scatter). The term has been in use since at least the Edo period to describe physical scattering, later extended metaphorically to abstract distributions.
Commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts. Often used critically when referring to reckless spending or uncontrolled dissemination of information.