This means something happened right when you were about to do something else. Or it happened right after you did something. It often shows a bad or surprising event.
Verb [dictionary form] + 矢先にPrimary
Verb [た-form] + 矢先に
This means something happened right when you were about to do something else. Or it happened right after you did something. It often shows a bad or surprising event.
家を出た矢先に、大雨が降り出した。
Just after I left the house, it started pouring with rain.
新製品の発表を開始する矢先に、プロジェクターが故障するというトラブルが発生した。
Just as we were about to start the new product presentation, a problem occurred where the projector broke down.
よし、ゲームを始めるぞと思った矢先に、お母さんから「宿題やったの？」と声がかかった。
Just when I thought, 'Alright, time to start gaming!', my mom called out, 'Did you do your homework?'
彼が重要な発表をした矢先の辞任劇だった。
It was a resignation drama that unfolded right after he made an important announcement.
出発する矢先にパスポートを忘れたことに気づかなかったため、空港で大変なことになった。
Because I didn't realize I'd forgotten my passport just as I was about to depart, it turned into a huge problem at the airport.
This phrase shows bad timing. Something happens right when you don't want it to. It feels like, "Why now?"
This is different from "〜ようとした矢先に". That one means "just when I was going to do something". This one means "just when something was about to happen" or "right after something happened". This is also different from "〜間際に". That means "just before" something important. This one means something happened suddenly and unexpectedly.
Don't use this when something changes slowly. For example, not for 'The weather got colder little by little.' This is for fast things. The first thing and the second thing happen very close together.
Often confused with(1)
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