1.
just when, right when, at the very moment
A point in time just as something was about to happen or had just started. Typically followed by an unexpected or inconvenient event.
出かけようとした矢先に雨が降り出した。
Just as I was about to leave, it started raining.
回復しかけた矢先に、また熱が出た。
Just when I was starting to recover, I got a fever again.
新しい仕事に慣れてきた矢先に転勤を命じられて途方に暮れた。
Just when I was getting used to my new job, I was ordered to transfer and felt completely lost.
USAGE:
Used in the pattern ～した矢先に or ～しようとした矢先に. The event that follows is almost always unexpected, inconvenient, or unfortunate. This creates a sense of bad timing or irony.
ETYMOLOGY:
矢先 literally means "arrowhead" (矢 = arrow, 先 = tip). The metaphor suggests the precise point where the arrow is aimed — hence, the exact moment.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- ～した矢先に: just when ~ happened
- ～しようとした矢先に: just as ~ was about to ~
- ～(よ)うとしていた矢先: just as ~ was trying to ~