expression, ichidan verb
cast a shadow; project a shadow
Describes the action of an object or person creating a shadow on a surface. Often used in descriptive or literary contexts.
夕日が木の影を地面に投げている。
The evening sun casts the tree's shadow on the ground.
影を落とす is more common and neutral for 'cast a shadow', while 影を投げる is a less frequent, slightly more literary variant.
A set phrase composed of 影 (shadow) + を (object marker) + 投げる (to throw), literally 'to throw a shadow'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it follows a common pattern of using 投げる metaphorically for projecting something.