the chosen one; the chosen few
Often used in fantasy, religious, or dramatic contexts to refer to a person or group selected by fate, a higher power, or special criteria. The classical adjective 選ばれし (archaic/literary form of 選ばれた) adds a solemn or epic tone.
According to legend, only the chosen one can pull out the holy sword.
As the chosen ones, they were tasked with saving the world.
Modern equivalent using the standard past tense 選ばれた instead of the archaic 選ばれし. 選ばれし者 sounds more epic or old-fashioned.
Standard kanji spelling using the common 選ぶ and 者.
Kana spelling of 者; common in less formal or fantasy contexts.
Rare variant using 撰, which can imply careful selection.
Rare variant using 択, which can imply choosing among options.
From the classical Japanese attributive form 選ばれし (the archaic 連体形 of the verb 選ぶ 'to choose') + 者 'person'. The form し is the classical equivalent of modern た.