影法師

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 影法師 (かげぼうし) is a literary compound noun for the shadow or silhouette cast by a person onto a road or wall.
• Basic usage: 影法師が道に伸びる makes a long sunset shadow the subject, while 二人の影法師が重なる describes two silhouettes overlapping beneath a streetlamp.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Lengthening shadow and overlapping silhouettes
  • 影法師が伸びる changes form with the light angle, whereas 影法師が重なる overlaps two silhouettes. The people themselves do not lengthen or merge.