作品Free Graded Reading
鼻に基く殺人Murder Based on the Nose
Hana ni Motozuku Satsujin
by 小酒井 不木 · Kosakai Fuboku
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A bizarre murder solved by clues from a nose.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnYukiko cares for her dog Billy and goes to her brother Hiroshi's room to fetch medicine. There, she discovers a 'Crime Diary' detailing how Hiroshi murdered a man named Kondo Susumu by turning a light bulb into a bomb. After reading, Hiroshi returns and explains that the diary is a therapeutic outlet to prevent him from actually killing.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 80/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 物うげ (ものうげ) | languid, listless |
|---|---|
| 漸く (ようやく) | finally, at last |
| 拍子 (ひょうし) | moment, instant; in the act of |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～こととて N1Because of; given that. Expresses reason, often formal or literary.呼吸器を侵されて、一時は駄目かと思われるほどの重病から、漸く恢復したこととて、美しかった黒い毛並も色を失って、
- ～拍子に N1At the moment of; just when. Indicates that an action or event occurs simultaneously with another.紅梅を洩れる春の陽に当った由紀子の白いきめを見た拍子に、一層やつれて見えるのであった。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Crime Diary as Safety ValveIn Japanese literature, the concept of writing down dark thoughts as a therapeutic release is a recurring motif. Hiroshi's 'crime diary' serves as a safety valve to prevent him from actually committing crimes, reflecting a psychological coping mechanism.
- Traditional Japanese House and PrivacyThe story highlights the lack of privacy in traditional Japanese homes, where rooms are separated by sliding doors (fusuma) and family members can easily intrude. Hiroshi's obsessive measures to protect his room (like drawing lines) show a desire for personal space.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy does Yukiko go to Hiroshi's room?
- To clean his room
- To fetch medicine for Billy
- To confront him about the diary
- To listen to the radio
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to descriptive language that sets the mood, such as '物うげ' (listless) and '眩暈' (dizziness).
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese「もうじき、弘ちゃんが帰ってくるから、そうしたら、病院へつれて行ってもらいなさい」由紀子は庭のベンチに腰かけて、愛犬ビリーの眼や鼻をガーゼで拭ってやりながら、人の子に物言うように話すのであった。「ほんとうに早くなおってよかったわねえ、お昼には何をごちそうしてあげましょうか」ビリーはまだ、何となく物うげであった。彼は座ったまま尾をかすかに振るだけであった。呼吸器を侵されて、一時は駄目かと思われるほどの重病から、ようやく恢復したこととて、美しかった黒い毛並も色を失って、紅梅を漏れる春の陽に当った由紀子の白いきめを見た拍子に、一層やつれて見えるのであった。「これでいい。どれ、見せて頂戴、まあ、綺麗になったこと」拭き終った由紀子は、こう言いながらガーゼを捨てて、エプロンのポケットから、ビスケットを取り出してビリーに与えた。
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