1.
to fall behind someone; to be outperformed; to be left in the dust
An idiomatic expression meaning to be surpassed or outpaced by someone. Literally means "to bow to someone's trailing dust" — the image of following behind someone's carriage and being covered in their dust.
ライバル企業の後塵を拝する。
To fall behind the rival company.
技術開発で他国の後塵を拝している。
We are lagging behind other countries in technological development.
この分野では長年後塵を拝してきたが、ようやく追いついてきた。
We had been trailing behind for years in this field, but we have finally caught up.
Literally "to bow to (someone's) trailing dust." The image comes from ancient China, where a person of lower rank would follow behind a dignitary's carriage and be covered in the dust it raised. By extension, it means to be inferior to or behind someone.
PATTERN:
～の後塵を拝する — to fall behind ~
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ライバルの後塵を拝する: to fall behind a rival
- 他社の後塵を拝する: to lag behind other companies
- 後塵を拝し続ける: to continue trailing behind
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 遅れを取る: to fall behind — more common and less literary
- 水を開けられる: to have a gap opened up — used when the distance between competitors widens
- 引けを取らない: to be no less than — the positive counterpart: not falling behind