JLPT N1Idioms

弓を引く

Meaning
目上の人や恩人にそむき反抗する
Explanation
「弓を引く」 means to turn against and resist or oppose a superior or someone to whom one owes a debt of gratitude, used as in 「世話になった会社に弓を引く」 (to turn against the company that took care of you). c1 「降伏する」 (to surrender) and c4 「身を引く」 (to withdraw) mean to retreat and go in the opposite direction; here, the core point is defying and going against one's obligations.
Original Japanese explanation

「弓を引く」は目上の人や恩を受けた相手にそむき、反抗・敵対すること。「世話になった会社に弓を引く」のように使う。c1「降伏する」やc4「身を引く」は退く意味で逆方向であり、ここでは恩義に逆らって刃向かう点が核心である。

Examples
  • 世話になった会社に弓を引く

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