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    腐れ縁の相手 (kusareen no aite - a partner in a lingering bad relationship)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral

    How it works

    This phrase consists of 腐れ縁 (kusareen), a noun meaning 'bad karma/fated relationship' or 'lingering, difficult-to-break ties,' followed by the possessive particle の (no), and then 相手 (aite), meaning 'partner' or 'opponent.' Together, it literally translates to 'partner of a kusareen,' describing someone with whom one shares such a difficult-to-sever connection, often with negative connotations.

    Sample sentences

    彼とはもう何年も腐れ縁の相手です。

    He's been a partner in a lingering bad relationship with me for many years now.

    腐れ縁の相手とずるずると関係を続けている。

    I'm dragging on a relationship with a partner in a fated bad relationship.

    お互い文句ばかり言っているのに、なぜか腐れ縁の相手なんだよね。

    Even though we complain about each other all the time, we're somehow partners in a fated bad relationship.

    Quick facts

    nuance:腐れ縁 (kusareen) implies a connection that, despite being difficult or even negative, is strangely persistent and hard to escape, often suggesting a sense of destiny or karma. It's not always entirely negative; sometimes it can describe a long-standing, complicated friendship.
    breakdown:腐れ (kusare - rot, decay) + 縁 (en - fate, karma, relationship). The 'rot' implies something undesirable but enduring.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    彼とはもう何年も腐れ縁の相手です。

    He's been a partner in a lingering bad relationship with me for many years now.

    腐れ縁の相手とずるずると関係を続けている。

    I'm dragging on a relationship with a partner in a fated bad relationship.

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