いたちごっこ

Also written イタチごっこ, 鼬ごっこ

Meanings

1. Noun going round in circles; game of cat and mouse; pointless and repetitive back-and-forth
2. itachi-gokko (i.e.: Edo-period children's game in which two players alternately pinch the back of the other's hands and stack them on top of each other while saying "itachi-gokko, nezumi-gokko") (original meaning)

Common phrases

• いたちごっこが続く

Word lists

• Idioms

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists