Japanese Basic Course 1732 Studios

Japanese · Lesson 144

Lesson 146

Narration and the written language

64 lines

Names, addresses and finger counting · Narration 1 of 3

Addresses and letters

*あて名を 書く時には 県又は市の名前から始める* means "When writing an address, you begin with the name of the prefecture or city."

A letter begins at the top right and runs in vertical lines. The body comes before the closing, sender, date, and addressee.

Formal letters use Chinese ink and brush on white paper. Everyday letters use a writing pad and pen and ink.

Family names and finger counting

*姓名を 書いたり、言ったりする 時には 姓が 最初に来る* means "When writing or saying a person's full name, the family name comes first."

Finger counting begins with *親指*, the "thumb." The fingers bend through five, then rise from the little finger for six.

Kanji: 姓, 数

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 1

    にほんではじどうしゃ、じてんしゃ、バスなどののりものはみちのひだりがわをとおる。

    In Japan, vehicles such as cars, bicycles, and buses travel on the left side of the road.

    日本Japan
    でin
    はtopic
    自動car
    車、car
    自転bicycle
    車、bicycle
    バスbuses
    などsuch as
    のof
    乗り物vehicles
    はtopic
    道road
    のof
    左側left side
    をobject
    通る。travel
  2. 2

    せいめいをかいたり、いったりするときにはせいがさいしょにくる。

    When writing or saying a person's full name, the family name comes first.

  3. 3

    あてなをかくときにはけんまたはしのなまえからはじめる。

    When writing an address, you begin with the name of the prefecture or city.

  4. 4

    かずをかぞえるときにはおやゆびからはじめてひとさしゆび、なかゆび、くすりゆび、こゆびとじゅんにゆびをおり、いちにさんしごとかぞえていく。

    When counting, you begin with the thumb and bend the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger in order, counting one, two, three, four, five.

  5. 5

    それからこんどはこゆびをあげてろく、くすりゆびをあげてしちというふうにかぞえていく。

    Then you raise the little finger for six, the ring finger for seven, and continue counting in this way.

  6. 6

    （てまねでみせる）

    This is demonstrated with hand gestures.

  7. 7

    にほんじんはたにんのまえではできるだけじぶんのかんじょうをかおにあらわさないようにする。

    Japanese people try as much as possible not to show their feelings on their faces in front of others.

Unlucky numbers

To the Japanese, thirteen is not an unlucky number. An expression like ”Friday, the 13th,” conveys no meaning to the average Japanese. But there is a superstition about the use of the cardinal number ”four” or rather its Japanese equivalent, ”shi.” This is because the Japanese word for ”four” is a homonym of the word ”death.” Japanese hospitals have no No. 4 ward. For the same reason, visiting a family on the fourth of the month to congratulate them on the birth of a child is sedulously avoided.
Sets of things

In the West, things are usually counted by the dozen; a set of things belonging together, like a tea set, contains one dozen or half a dozen pieces. In Japan, things come in sets of five or sets of ten, for example, teacups for five persons or trays for ten persons.

3 Even and Odd Numbers

Gifts are customarily presented in odd numbers, when there are less than ten. In fact, old-fashioned

people carefully avoid making gifts of even numbers because of some old superstitious belief. But ten being the Japanese dozen, there is no objection to such figures as ten, twenty, thirty, forty, etc. Some articles such as pencils and bottles of beer, however, are often sold and bought by the dozen even in Japan.
Writing letters

Letters are usually written vertically beginning at the right-hand top corner. The body of a letter comes first, then the complimentary closing, the name of the sender, the date, and the name of the addressee. The envelope is superscribed, also in vertical columns, with the address and name of the addressee. On the back, to the left of the lower part, is written the address and the name of the sender of the letter with the date written just above. A formal Japanese letter is written on a roll of white Japanese paper (about 8 inches wide) with Chinese ink and brush. When a letter is written this way, it is folded or rather rolled up from the left-hand end, and then put in the envelope.

Naturally enough, a Japanese envelope is oblong, usually 8.2 by 3.5 inches, with the flap at one end. Envelopes of white Japanese paper of fine quality are generally used for formal letter writing.

For everyday correspondence, however, a Western-style writing pad is used instead of a roll of paper. Both Western-style and Japanese-style envelopes are used for this purpose. Pen and ink are used instead of Chinese ink and brush. Postcards are used in the West, but it is not considered good form to use postcards for polite correspondence.
5 Counting Change

Suppose you buy 600 yen worth of articles at a store and pay for it with a thousand yen note. The shopkeeper will say to you, ”1,000 yen minus 600 yen is 400 yen,” and hand you 400 yen as your change.
---HIN(PIN)

Suffix HIN(PIN) is used with numerals to give the meaning of ”item, piece, course, etc.” For example:

IPPIN - one piece

NIHIN two piece

SAMPIN three piece

YOMPIN four ”

GOHIN five ”

ROPPIN six ”

NANAHIN seven ”

HACHIHIN- eight ”

KYUUHIN nine ”

JIPPIN ten ”
--- KIRE

KIRE as a suffix used with numerals gives the meaning of ”piece, slice.”

Examples:

| 
HITO-KIRE | one slice
FUTA-KIRE | two slices
MI-KIRE | three slices
YO-KIRE | four ”
ITSU-KIRE | five ”
MU-KIRE | six ”
NANA-KIRE | seven ”

| 
YA-KIRE | eight slices
KU-KIRE | nine ”
TO-KIRE | ten ”
で
--is and -- (See Grammar Notes)
は
leaves
車、
vehicle, car
バス
bus
など
and so forth, etc.
の
See Grammar Notes
乗り物
vehicles
道
road, street
左側
left-hand side
を
particle denoting direct object (See Pattern Drill)
通る。
to pass
姓名
full name
時
time
に
on (See Gram. Notes)
姓
surname
が
but (See Gram. Notes)
あて名
addressee's name and address
県
prefecture (See Cultural Notes)
から
from (See Gram. Notes)
数
number
数える
to count; calculate
親指
thumb
中指、
middle finger
くすり指、
ring finger
小指
small finger
と
and (See Gram. Notes)
一
one
二
two
三
three
四
four
五
five
今度
this time, next time
六、
six
七
seven
風
manner; way; appear-ance; kind; sort
（手まね
gesture; signs
見せる）
to show (v.t.)
人
people
他人
unrelated person; stranger; others
前
before, front
出来る
to be manufactured; to be produced (v.i.)
だけ
only, just (See Grammar Notes)
自分
self
感情
feeling

Superstitions, bedding and serving customs · Narration 2 of 3

Why four is avoided

*「四」と「死」は 発音が 同じ* means "The words for four and death are pronounced the same."

The word for "four" is *shi*. The word *死*, "death," is also *shi*. This shared pronunciation makes four unlucky.

Japanese hospitals therefore have no ward number four. Thirteen does not carry the same meaning in Japan.

Odd gifts and matching sets

*日本では 茶のみ などの そろいの 品物は 一そろい 五品とか 十品とか いう風に なって 来る* says that matching goods come in sets of five or ten.

Gifts use odd numbers when there are ten or fewer items. Ten, twenty, and thirty are also acceptable.

Sliced food differs. Only two slices are served because *三切れ*, "three slices," sounds like *身切れ*, "cut the flesh."

Kanji: 迷

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 8

    べいこくで「じゅうさんにちきんようび」がふきつなひとされているのとおなじようににほんでも「し」というかずについてのめいしんがある。

    Just as Friday the thirteenth is considered an unlucky day in the United States, there is also a superstition about the number four in Japan.

  2. 9

    「し」と「し」ははつおんがおなじだが、「し」はしぬといういみで、にほんじんはそのことばをきらう。

    The words for four and death are pronounced the same, and since death means dying, Japanese people dislike that word.

  3. 10

    したがってにほんのびょういんには「しごう」のびょうしつはないそうである。

    Therefore, it is said that Japanese hospitals do not have rooms numbered four.

  4. 11

    にほんではねるときにおしいれからふとんをだして、それをたたみのうえにしいて、そのうえにねる。

    In Japan, when people go to bed, they take a futon out of the closet, spread it on the tatami, and sleep on it.

  5. 12

    あさおきてからとこをあげる。

    After getting up in the morning, they put the bedding away.

  6. 13

    おくりものなどにつかうしなものはそのかずがじゅういかのばあいにはきすうをつかうが、しょくじなどのとき、なにかきったもの、たとえばたくあんなどをだすときには「みきれ」は「みきれ」になるから、ふたきれしかださない。

    When there are ten or fewer items used for gifts and the like, an odd number is used, but when serving something sliced at a meal, such as pickled radish, only two slices are served because three slices, mikire, sounds like the word for cutting oneself off.

  7. 14

    にほんではちゃのみなどのそろいのしなものはひとそろいごひんとかじっぴんとかいうふうになってくる。

    In Japan, matching items such as teacups usually come in sets of five or ten.

「十
ten
な
I wish, I hope, huh
いる
to need (See Gram. Notes)
も
as much as, as many as (See Grammar Notes
「四」
four
つい
just; only
迷信
superstition
ある。
certain, some
「死」
death
だ
to be (informal equivalent of DESU. See Grammar Notes)
きらう。
dislike
病院
hospital
病室
sickroom; ward; sick bay
そう
numerical counter for ships
ねる
to sleep
おし入れ
closet
ふとん
bedding, quilt
畳
straw mat (See Cultural Notes)
朝
morning
あげる。
to give
使う
to use, employ
品物
goods, merchandise
以下
below; less than
奇数
odd number
か
either--or-- (See Gram. Notes)
たとえば
for instance
たくあん
pickled radish
出す
to mail, send, take out
「身切れ」
cut the flesh
しか
deer
茶のみ
teacup
品
quality, goods

Export sets and Japanese gardens · Narration 3 of 3

Export sets and gardens

*でも 輸出品には 一そろい 四品、八品、十二品 など ある* means "But exported goods come in sets of four, eight, twelve, and so on."

Unlike the sets of five or ten used in Japan, export sets can contain four, eight, or twelve items.

*庭の 形は 不規則で、石、木、水 などを 使い* describes an irregular garden made with stones, trees, water, and few flowering plants.

How change is counted

A customer buys articles worth 600 yen and pays with a thousand-yen note.

The shopkeeper says, "1,000 yen minus 600 yen is 400 yen." The shopkeeper then hands over 400 yen as change.

Kanji: 愛

New kanji in these lines. Read down: the kanji, its reading, then the words it makes.

  1. 15

    でもゆしゅつひんにはひとそろいよんぴん、はっぴん、じゅうにひんなどある。

    But exported goods come in sets of four, eight, twelve, and so on.

  2. 16

    にほんじんはしぜんをあいするこくみんで、にほんのいえにはたいていにわがある。

    The Japanese are a people who love nature, and most Japanese homes have a garden.

  3. 17

    にわのかたちはふきそくで、いし、き、みずなどをつかい、

    The shape of the garden is irregular, and stones, trees, water, and other things are used.

  4. 18

    しぜんとじんこうのびをあわせてつくる。

    It is made by combining natural and artificial beauty.

  5. 19

    くさばなはあまりうえない。

    Not many flowers are planted.

八
eight
十
ten
愛する
love
家
house, home
庭
garden; yard
石、
rock, stone
木、
tree, wood
水
water
美
beauty
作る。
to raise, to make
草花
flowering plant, flower

Roads, names and unlucky numbers · Questions 1 of 2

Roads, names, and unlucky numbers

The questions cover left-side travel, name and address order, finger counting, restrained expressions, and unlucky numbers.

*あて名を 書く時には 何から 始めますか* means "When writing an address, what do you begin with?" An answer names the prefecture or city.

Other answers state that the family name comes first, counting starts at the thumb, and four is unlucky.

  1. 20

    にほんではじどうしゃ、じてんしゃ、バスなどののりものはみちのどちらがわをとおりますか。

    In Japan, which side of the road do vehicles such as cars, bicycles, and buses travel on?

  2. 21

    せいめいをかいたり、いったりするときにはせいとなまえとどっちがさいしょにきますか。

    When writing or saying a person's full name, which comes first, the family name or the given name?

  3. 22

    あてなをかくときにはなにからはじめますか。

    When writing an address, what do you begin with?

  4. 23

    ゆびでかずをかぞえるときにはどんなにしますか。

    How do you count on your fingers?

  5. 24

    にほんじんはひとのまえでかんじょうをよくかおにあらわしますか。

    Do Japanese people often show their feelings on their faces in front of others?

  6. 25

    べいこくではどんなひがふきつなひですか。

    What kind of day is considered unlucky in the United States?

  7. 26

    にほんではどんなかずがふきつとされていますか。

    What number is considered unlucky in Japan?

どちら
which of two (See Grammar Notes)
側
side
通り
street
ます
trout
か。
either--or-- (See Gram. Notes)
どっち
which of two (See Grammar Notes)
どんな
what kind of; what sort of
し
city
よく
well, skillfully
です
to be (See Gram. Notes)
い
stomach

Gift numbers, gardens and bedding · Questions 2 of 2

Gifts, gardens, and bedding

The questions cover gift numbers, sliced food, matching and export sets, gardens, and bedding.

*日本では 茶のみ などの 一そろいの 品物は 何品ですか* means "In Japan, how many items are there in a set of teacups and the like?"

An answer gives five or ten items. Other answers give odd gift numbers, two food slices, irregular gardens, and bedding spread on tatami.

  1. 27

    おくりものなどにつかうしなものはそのかずがじゅういかのばあいにはどうですか。

    When there are ten or fewer items used for gifts and the like, what kind of number is used?

  2. 28

    しょくじなどのとき、なにかきったものをだすばあいにみきれだしますか。

    When serving something sliced at a meal, do they serve three slices?

  3. 29

    なぜみきれだしませんか。

    Why don't they serve three slices?

  4. 30

    にほんではちゃのみなどのひとそろいのしなものはなんぴんですか。

    In Japan, how many items are there in a set of teacups and the like?

  5. 31

    ゆしゅつひんのばあいはどうですか。

    What about exported goods?

  6. 32

    にほんのにわはどんなですか。

    What are Japanese gardens like?

  7. 33

    にほんではねるときにはどうしますか。

    What do people do when they go to bed in Japan?

時、
time
なぜ
why?

Names, fingers and bad luck · Word list 1 of 3

Names, fingers, and bad luck

The words cover names, fingers, gestures, other people, bad luck, and superstition.

*姓名* means "full name," while *姓* means "surname."

*親指* means "thumb," the first finger used when counting.

  1. 34

    ひだりがわ

    left-hand side

  2. 35

    せいめい

    full name

  3. 36

    せい

    surname

  4. 37

    おやゆび

    thumb

  5. 38

    こゆび

    small finger

  6. 39

    ゆびをおる

    bend one's finger

  7. 40

    くすりゆび

    ring finger

  8. 41

    てまね

    gesture; signs

  9. 42

    たにん

    unrelated person; stranger; others

  10. 43

    ふきつな

    unlucky; ominous

  11. 44

    めいしん

    superstition

指を折る
bend one's finger
くすり指
ring finger
手まね
gesture; signs
不吉な
unlucky; ominous

Death, numbers and sliced food · Word list 2 of 3

Numbers and slices

The words cover death, odd numbers, sliced food, teacups, and matching sets.

*三切れ* means "three slices." It sounds like *身切れ*, "cut the flesh."

The suffix *KIRE* follows a numeral and means "piece" or "slice." *HITO-KIRE* is "one slice," and *FUTA-KIRE* is "two slices."

  1. 45

    し

    death

  2. 46

    きらう

    dislike

  3. 47

    びょうしつ

    sickroom; ward; sick bay

  4. 48

    いか

    below; less than

  5. 49

    きすう

    odd number

  6. 50

    きったもの

    things which are cut

  7. 51

    たくあん

    pickled radish

  8. 52

    さんきれ

    three slices (See Notes)

  9. 53

    みきれ

    cut the flesh

  10. 54

    ちゃのみ

    teacup

  11. 55

    そろいの

    set; uniform

死
death
きらう
dislike
切った物
things which are cut
三切れ
three slices (See Notes)
身切れ
cut the flesh
そろいの
set; uniform

Sets, bedding and garden plants · Word list 3 of 3

Items in a set

*一そろい* means "one set," and *五品* means "five pieces." These words give a set and its number of items.

The suffix *HIN*, or *PIN*, follows a numeral and means "item" or "piece." *GOHIN* is "five pieces," as in *五品*.

The remaining words cover export goods, gardens, bedding, and fingers. *床をあげる* means "put bedding away."

  1. 56

    ひとそろい

    one set

  2. 57

    ごしな

    five pieces

  3. 58

    ゆしゅつひん

    export goods

  4. 59

    あいする

    love

  5. 60

    ふきそく

    irregular

  6. 61

    くさばな

    flowers; flowering plants

  7. 62

    とこをあげる

    put bedding away

  8. 63

    ひとさしゆび

    index finger

  9. 64

    なかゆび

    middle finger

Guide for Free Conversation and Exercise

1 Topics:

a Talk about the following topics in Japanese making a comparison with that of the United States.

(1) Vehicle traffic.

(2) Name and address.

(3) Counting numbers with fingers.

(4) Unlucky numbers.

(5) A set of things to be used for a present.

2 Exercise:

a Interpretation Exercise:

(1) What day is considered as an unlucky day in the United States?

(1) 米国では 十三日の 金曜日が 不吉な 日とされています。

(2) When you give a set of articles for a present in Japan, usually how many things does a set contain?

(2) その 数が 十以下の 場合には 奇数を 使います。

(3) How do most Japanese sleep?

(3) おし入れから ふとんを 出して、それを 畳の上に しいて、その上にねます。朝起きてから床をあげます。

(4) What side of the road do vehicles travel in Japan?

(4) 自動車、自転車、バス などの 乗り物は 道の 左側を 通ります。
Homework

1 Study the Narration thoroughly and memorize the vocabulary.

2 Read the Guide for Free Conversation and do the exercises given.

3 Learn to read and write the new Kanji.

4 Read the Cultural Notes.
一そろい
one set
五品
five pieces
輸出品
export goods
不規則
irregular
床をあげる
put bedding away
人さし指
index finger
中指
middle finger

The particulars

The course
Defense Language Institute, Japanese Basic Course, 1967 to 1971. Public domain. The teaching pages and the narration are ours.
Reading aloud
Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The book
Botchan, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.