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Word 1966 of 4449

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白羽の矢が立つ

しらはのやがたつ

to be singled out (chosen)

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Examples

  1. 彼に白羽の矢が立った。

    かれにしらはのやがたった。

    He was the one singled out.

  2. 後任に白羽の矢が立つ。

    こうにんにしらはのやがたつ。

    Someone is picked out as the successor.

  3. 新しい事業の責任者として、彼女に白羽の矢が立った。

    あたらしいじぎょうのせきにんしゃとして、かのじょにしらはのやがたった。

    She was singled out to head the new business.

  4. 意外なことに、入社二年目の私に白羽の矢が立った。

    いがいなことに、にゅうしゃにねんめのわたしにしらはのやがたった。

    Surprisingly, I was the one chosen, only two years into the job.

Common patterns

候補に白羽の矢が立つ
for someone to be singled out as the candidate
ついに白羽の矢が立つ
to be picked out at last
後任に白羽の矢が立つ
to be chosen as the successor

Memory tip

It comes from the legend of a white-feathered arrow marking the house whose daughter must be offered as a sacrifice, so a trace of unwanted burden still clings to it. The person chosen takes に and the verb is the intransitive 立つ.

Kanji in this word

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What does 白羽の矢が立つ mean?