むかしむかし、ある村に貧しいおじいさんとおばあさんが住んでいました。
ある、びゅうびゅうとはげしい吹雪が吹く夜のことです。
おじいさんとおばあさんの家をドアを、とんとんと誰かが叩きました。
「こんな吹雪の夜に誰だろうか？」
二人は不思議に思いました。
おじいさんがドアを開けると、そこには若く美しい女性が立っていました。
おばあさんは女性にききました。
「お嬢さん、どうして、こんな吹雪の夜に一人でいるのですか。」
「私は旅の一座のものです。吹雪で道に迷い、仲間ともはぐれてしまったのです。すみませんが、一晩だけこちらに泊めていただけませんか。」
「まぁ、それはお気の毒に。もちろん。狭い家ですが、ゆっくしてください。」
おじいさんとおばあさんは、女性をこころよく家に迎え入れました。
Once upon a time, in a certain village, there lived a poor elderly couple. On a night of fierce snowstorm, someone knocked on the door of the elderly couple’s house with a gentle “ton-ton” sound.
“Who could it be on a snowy night like this?”
The old man and the old woman wondered in curiosity. When the old man opened the door, there stood a young and beautiful woman. The old woman asked the woman.
“Miss, why are you alone on a night like this in the midst of a blizzard?”
“I belong to a traveling troupe. I got lost in the blizzard and got separated from my companions. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please let me stay here just for one night?”
“Well, that’s unfortunate. Of course, you’re welcome. It’s a small house, but please make yourself comfortable.”
With kindness, the old man and the old woman warmly welcomed the woman into their home.
| 昔々 (むかしむかし) | once upon a time |
| 村 (むら) | village |
| おじいさん | old man |
| おばあさん | old woman |
| 貧しい (まずしい) | poor |
| 激しい (はげしい) | fierce |
| 吹雪 (ふぶき) | blizzard |
| 叩く (たたく) | to knock |
| 娘（むすめ） | young lady |
| 旅の一座 (たびのいちざ) | traveling troupe |
| 迷う (まよう) | to get lost |
| 仲間 (なかま) | companions |
| はぐれる | to get separated |
| 一晩 (ひとばん) | one night |
| 泊める (とめる) | to let stay |
| それはお気の毒に (それはおきのどくに) | That’s unfortunate |
| もちろん | of course |
| 狭い (せまい) | small |
| こころよく | willingly |
| 迎え入れる (むかえいれる) | to welcome |
| 会議（かいぎ） | meeting |
| 交番 (こうばん) | police box |
| 道（みち） | road |
| 財布（さいふ） | wallet |
| 拾う（ひろう） | pick up |
| 電車（でんしゃ） | train |
| 事故 (じこ) | accident |
| 頭 (あたま) | head |
| ハンバーガー | hamburger |
| 跳ねる (はねる) | to bounce |
| 映画 (えいが) | movie |
| 胸 (むね) | chest / breast |
| 泣く (なく) | to cry |
Onomatopoeia refers to words or phrases that mimic the sounds or sensations they represent through their phonetic qualities or rhythms. They are words that imitate natural sounds, actions, or states to convey sensory impressions. Japanese language has a rich collection of onomatopoeic expressions that enrich both written and spoken communication by providing vivid and lively descriptions.
For example, here are a few onomatopoeic words in Japanese along with their English equivalents:
- ざあざあ (zāzā): Describes the sound of heavy rain or flowing water, similar to “pouring” or “gushing.”
- ふわふわ (fuwafuwa): Indicates something that is light, fluffy, and soft, akin to “fluffy” or “airy.”
- ぺこぺこ (pekopeko): Expresses a state of extreme hunger, like “very hungry” or “starving.”
- きらきら (kirakira): Represents a sparkling or glittering appearance, similar to “sparkling” or “twinkling.”
- とんとん (tonton): Refers to a light tapping or knocking sound, akin to “tap-tap” or “knock-knock.”
- びゅうびゅう (byūbyū): Describes a whistling or rushing sound, similar to “whoosh” or “whizz.”
- ずきずき (zukizuki): Represents a throbbing or pulsating sensation, often used to describe a dull, persistent pain.
- ごくごく (gokugoku): Describes the sound of drinking something in large gulps, like “gulp gulp” in English.
- もぐもぐ (mogumogu): Expresses the sound of someone chewing or munching on food, similar to “chew chew” or “munch munch.”
- ぽたぽた (potapota): Represents the sound of liquid dripping or falling in drops, like “drip drip.”
- ぴょんぴょん (pyonpyon) : Describes a bouncy or hopping motion, similar to “hop hop” in English.
- わくわく(wakuwaku) Expresses the feeling of excitement or anticipation, like “excitedly” or “with bated breath.”
- どきどき (dokidoki”) Represents the sound of a beating heart, often used to describe a nervous or excited feeling, like “thump thump.”
- しくしく (shikushiku): Describes the sound of sobbing or crying, similar to “sob sob” or “weep weep.”
These onomatopoeic expressions are widely used in Japanese texts, poems, children’s literature, and more. They serve as effective tools for conveying sensory experiences and scenes, allowing language to vividly evoke not just ideas, but feelings and imagery as well.
In Japanese, “どうして〜” is similar to the English expressions “Why” or “How come.” It is used to inquire about reasons or causes for something, often when there’s a sense of curiosity or when seeking information. This expression is commonly used in situations where the speaker is trying to understand something or seeking an explanation.
Examples:
どうして、レッスンをやすみましたか。
Why did you miss the class?
どうして、朝ごはんをたべませんでしたか。
Why didn’t you have breakfast?
In addition to ‘どうして’ (doushite), ‘なんで’ (nande) or ‘なぜ’ (naze) is also used in the same way.
なぜ、会議におくれましたか。
Why were you late for the meeting?
なんで、ドイツ語を勉強していますか。
Why are you studying German?
