1.
in great demand; very popular; sought after by everyone
Describes a person or thing that is extremely popular and wanted by many people at the same time. Often used when someone is so in demand that they are being pulled in all directions.
彼女は今引っ張りだこだ。
She is in great demand right now.
あの歌手はテレビで引っ張りだこになった。
That singer became extremely popular on TV.
IT技術者は人手不足の影響で各社から引っ張りだこの状態が続いている。
Due to the labor shortage, IT engineers continue to be in high demand from every company.
An idiomatic expression meaning someone or something is so popular and sought-after that everyone is trying to get them. The word literally comes from the image of a dried octopus (蛸) being stretched out (引っ張る) with its legs pulled in all directions.
USAGE:
Typically used as a predicate with だ or になる. Most commonly describes people (performers, professionals, experts) but can also describe products or services.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 引っ張りだこだ: is in great demand
- 引っ張りだこになる: to become very popular
- 引っ張りだこの状態: a state of being in great demand
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 人気者: popular person — describes general popularity, without the sense of being pulled in every direction
- 売れっ子: in-demand person — specifically for professionals whose services are highly sought