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I thought the character "を" (wo) was only used for the particle whose only job was to indicate the direct object of a verb.

But today I saw it at the end of an exclamation on a sign I think on a shop:

西部に活力を!!

So what job is を doing here?

hippietrail
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  • Very common: 素晴らしい一年を！ – Nicolas Raoul Jun 16 '11 at 04:03
  • @Nicolas: A set phrase at the end of year is 良いお年を (よいおとしを), which can also be said as 良いお年をお迎えください (よいおとしをおむかえください) (I wish you a happy new year). – Tsuyoshi Ito Jun 16 '11 at 12:42
  • Two very common set phrases which end with particles: こんにちは and [こんばんは](http://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/131/which-is-correct-or) – Garrett Albright Jun 17 '11 at 08:29
  • を is not an article. In fact, Japanese does not have an article. –  Sep 14 '11 at 04:20
  • @sawa: Oh that's a typo for "particle" and I can't believe it's been there so long without being spotted! Thanks. – hippietrail Sep 14 '11 at 07:56

2 Answers2

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It's still the object marker. The sentence is just not finished and the verb is implied.

(there was a question mentioning suspended sentences but I cannot find it for the moment)

Anyway it's often used:

フォースと共{とも}にあらんことを

May the force be with you!

Additionally it gives some kind of propaganda feeling to the sentence.

Community
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  • Wow is there any part of a Japanese sentence you can't leave out? (-: – hippietrail Jun 15 '11 at 14:39
  • Generally speaking: No. :) – Kdansky Jun 15 '11 at 14:44
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    It's like Japanese color-by-numbers: the outline is there, but you have to pick your own verb to finish the picture. – Derek Schaab Jun 15 '11 at 14:47
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    Sentences ending with just を are very often interpreted in the meaning of wishing something to someone else, and I don't think anybody tries to fill in the verb for that, so perhaps you can say this specific を is quite stand-alone. – Boaz Yaniv Jun 15 '11 at 17:26
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    Wow, cool, but could please explain, from which verb the あらんこと part comes from, or what would be full form? (I can't find a translation of that part anywhere). Thanks! – Quit007 Aug 13 '18 at 16:52
  • Can you link the suspended sentences question? – Toyu_Frey May 07 '19 at 19:28
  • フォースと共にあらんことを✙祈ります (the ellipsed verb phrase) – donguri Jan 07 '23 at 16:57
8

It's just an ellipsis of the verb. It happens too with other particles, for example, you have "復興へ！" (towards reconstruction!) here and there in the Tohoku area.

I think that it is mostly used in an incentive context, to express "let's all…"

Amanda S
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Axioplase
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  • Would that apply in a case like this since を is between two nouns? 今も憶えているのあなた旅立つ日に見た夢**を**涙つたうあなたの頬 手を伸ばすと 闇の中消えた. Source: [link](https://finalfantasy.fandom.com/wiki/KUON:_Memories_of_Waves_and_Light#Lyrics) – A.T.A. Jan 22 '23 at 02:52
  • It's not the end of the sentence, but a swap of propositions. "The dream you saw, do you remember it?" – Axioplase Feb 03 '23 at 16:04