Looking up...
根本を忘れる
konpon o wasureru
to forget the basics
彼は根本を忘れて、細かいことにこだわるようになった。
He forgot the basics and started obsessing over minor details.
informal
To lose sight of fundamental principles or core values due to excessive focus on trivial or peripheral matters.
プロジェクトの根本を忘れて、無駄な議論ばかりしていた。
They lost sight of the project's core objectives and kept having pointless discussions.
成功するためには根本を忘れてはいけない。
To succeed, you must never lose sight of the fundamentals.
Often used in business, education, or personal development contexts to criticize overcomplication or misplaced priorities.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
When to use this phrase
Use 根本を忘れる when someone is focusing too much on minor issues and neglecting the core purpose or principles. It’s often used in professional settings to criticize inefficiency or in personal contexts to remind someone of their priorities.
Gold Rule
Avoid overcomplicating
If you find yourself or others constantly debating small details without progress, it’s a sign that 根本を忘れている (you’ve forgotten the basics). Step back and refocus on the core objective.
Word Origin
The phrase combines 根本 (konpon, 'root/foundation') and 忘れる (wasureru, 'to forget'). 根本 originates from Buddhist terminology (根本, 'root cause' or 'fundamental principle'), while 忘れる is a common verb meaning 'to forget'. The phrase emerged in modern Japanese to describe a loss of core values or priorities in practical contexts.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in both spoken and written Japanese to criticize someone for overcomplicating a situation or deviating from core principles. It implies a moral or practical failure rather than a simple memory lapse. Similar to English expressions like 'losing sight of the big picture' or 'missing the forest for the trees.'
Word Breakdown
根本
root/foundation/core principle
nounを
object marker particle
particle忘れる
to forget
verb和英辞典