Translation guide
How to express being left behind in Japanese, covering physical, social, and metaphorical situations.
Expressing that someone or something is left behind when others move on.
Passive form of 置いていく (to leave behind). Commonly used when someone is left behind by a group or vehicle.
I was left behind by the bus.
I was left behind by my friends and went home alone.
Passive of 取り残す (to leave behind). Often implies being left behind in a place or situation, sometimes with a sense of isolation.
I ended up being left behind in the mountains.
Passive of 置き去りにする (to abandon/leave behind). Stronger nuance of abandonment, often used for people or pets.
A dog had been left behind on the roadside.
Describing being left behind in terms of advancement, fashion, or knowledge.
Literally 'to take a delay'. Means to fall behind others in competition, technology, or trends.
We introduced new technology so as not to be left behind by other companies.
Also used metaphorically for being left behind by societal changes or progress.
I'm being left behind by the wave of digitalization.
Literally 'to miss the ride on the times'. Means to be left behind by the times or trends.
Feeling excluded or abandoned in relationships or groups.
Passive of 仲間外れにする (to exclude from a group). Strongly conveys being left out or ostracized.
He is being left behind by the group.
Can also be used metaphorically for emotional abandonment, e.g., when a partner moves on.
I feel like I've been left behind by her.
Literally 'left behind in loneliness'. Emphasizes the resulting solitude.
Forgetting or failing to bring something along.
Both mean 'to be left behind', but 置いていかれる is more about being left by a moving group/vehicle, while 取り残される often implies being left in a static place or situation, sometimes with a nuance of isolation.
I was left behind by the bus. (The bus departed without me.)
I was left behind in the mountain hut. (Others left me there.)
Avoid directly translating 'left behind' as 左後ろ (hidari ushiro) or similar. Use the appropriate verb phrases above.
That company has been left behind by the times.
Everyone left and I was left behind in loneliness.
I accidentally left my smartphone behind at the café.