立ち遅れる

• Reading: たちおくれる
• Romaji: tachiokureru
• Kanji breakdown: 立 (ritsu/ta) — to stand, to start | 遅 (chi/okure) — late, slow
• Pronunciation: /ta.tɕi.o.kɯ.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To fall behind; to lag; to be slow to start; to be late in getting going.

A Group 2 (ichidan) compound verb from 立つ (to start, to rise up) and 遅れる (to be late, to lag behind). It describes being slow to begin or start moving, resulting in being left behind by others. Frequently used in discussions of economic development, technological adoption, policy response, and social progress where one party has failed to keep pace with the times or with competitors.

Examples

1. 日本のデジタル化は他の先進国に比べて著しく立ち遅れていると指摘されることが多い。 Japan's digitalisation is often said to lag significantly behind other advanced nations.
2. 初動対応が立ち遅れたため、被害が広範囲に及んでしまった。 Because the initial response was slow to get going, the damage spread over a wide area.
3. 彼女はスタートで立ち遅れたが、後半に猛追して三位に入賞した。 She was slow off the mark at the start, but charged back strongly in the second half to finish third.

Usage Guide

Context: policy, economics, sports, crisis management

Tone: critical

Origin & History

Compound of 立つ (to start up, to set off) and 遅れる (to fall behind, to be late). The verb captures the moment when one's start is delayed and the consequences of lagging behind that follow.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji–Present

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal