堂々巡り

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 堂々巡り is a noun read どうどうめぐり, referring to circular discussion or thought that repeats without reaching a conclusion.
• Basic usage: Use 議論は堂々巡りになる when a discussion starts going in circles and 考えが堂々巡りする when thoughts keep circling.
  • 同じ意見を繰り返すだけで議論は堂々巡りになった。 describes a discussion going in circles because the same views were merely repeated; 考えが堂々巡りして眠れなくなった。 describes thoughts circling until sleep became impossible.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 堂々巡りになる
  • に marks the resulting state of circular discussion.
• 堂々巡りする
  • With thoughts as the subject, this directly describes repetitive mental circling.
• だけで
  • だけ limits the action to repetition alone, and で connects it to the resulting lack of progress.