expression
miss a chance; let an opportunity slip away
Rare idiomatic expression originating from the kabuki play 'Kanadehon Chūshingura', referring to the character Yuranosuke who arrives too late to help. Used to describe a situation where one fails to act in time and loses an opportunity.
「遅かりし由良之助」とは、絶好の機会を逃してしまったことを嘆く言葉だ。
'Osokarishi Yuranosuke' is a phrase lamenting having missed a golden opportunity.
From the kabuki play 'Kanadehon Chūshingura', where the character Yuranosuke (由良之助) arrives too late to assist his allies, leading to the phrase meaning 'too-late Yuranosuke'.