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.
バスに置いていかれた。
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.
山で取り残されてしまった。
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.
犬が道端に置き去りにされていた。
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.
他社に遅れをとらないように、新技術を導入した。
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.
デジタル化の波に取り残されている。
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.
あの会社は時代に乗り遅れてしまった。
That company has been left behind by the times.
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.
彼はグループから仲間外れにされている。
He is being left behind by the group.
Can also be used metaphorically for emotional abandonment, e.g., when a partner moves on.
彼女に置いていかれた気分だ。
I feel like I've been left behind by her.
Literally 'left behind in loneliness'. Emphasizes the resulting solitude.
みんなが去って、孤独に取り残された。
Everyone left and I was left behind in loneliness.
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.
バスに置いていかれた。
I was left behind by the bus. (The bus departed without me.)
山小屋に取り残された。
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.
カフェにスマホを置き忘れてしまった。
I accidentally left my smartphone behind at the café.