作品Free Graded Reading
カイダイKaidai
Kaidai
by 平山 千代子 · Hirayama Chiyoko
JLPT N3Short StoryClassical / archaicQuiz ready
A student is called on to 'kaidai' but has no idea what it means – chaos ensues!
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator recalls an incident in her fourth year when a student teacher called 'Kitsune-san' came to teach a passage from The Tale of the Heike. She was called on unexpectedly and asked to give a 'kaidai', which she didn't understand, leading her to fake it with a friend's help, which she later regretted.
Language difficultyIntermediate · 65/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 教生 (きょうせい) | student teacher |
|---|---|
| 面喰らう (めんくらう) | to be taken aback, flustered |
| 突差に (とっさに) | instantly, on the spur of the moment |
| カイダイ | book report, commentary explaining a text's background |
| 胡魔化す (ごまかす) | to deceive, cheat, fake |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てゐた (older spelling of ～ていた) N3Past progressive form (was doing); in classical/literary style often written as 'てゐた' instead of 'ていた'.キツネさんと呼ばれてゐた市村先生であつた。
- ～といふ (＝という, but classical spelling) N4Quotation marker; 'called', 'that is'. Used to define or describe.カイダイといふのは本について、何時、何があつて、どういふことがかいてあるかをしらべることです。
- ～ばかり (emphasis, 'just', 'only') N3Used to emphasize the extent or degree; here '鳩の豆鉄砲より尚甚だしかつたに違ひない' uses 'ばかり' in the set phrase '鳩が豆鉄砲を食ったよう' meaning 'like a bird shot at' (utterly shocked).鳩の豆鉄砲より尚甚だしかつたに違ひない。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- The Tale of the HeikeA classic Japanese epic from the 13th century about the Genpei War. The passage '重盛諫言' refers to the scene where Taira no Shigemori admonishes his father Kiyomori for his arrogance.
- Kaidai (解題)A Japanese academic term meaning a book report or commentary explaining the author, historical context, and content of a text. It was a common assignment in pre-war education.
- Student Teacher System (教生)In pre-war Japan, university students with top grades would practice teaching at girls' schools as part of their training. These '教生' were often feared or admired.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat was the narrator asked to do by the student teacher?
- Read a passage aloud
- Explain the background of the text (kaidai)
- Write a summary of the story
- Translate the passage into modern Japanese
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipNote the classical spelling variations (e.g., 'ゐ' for 'い', 'を' for 'お', 'へ' for 'え') to get used to older Japanese orthography.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese四年の三学期であった。国語の教生が来て、平家物語の重盛諫言のところを教えることになった。教生というのは今年卒業する大学部の学生の中から、一番か二番の人で、卒業後の練習のため女学校へ教えに来る人のことである。その時の国語の教生は、私たちが一年の時の五年生で、キツネさんと呼ばれていた市村先生であった。キツネだと云うので、あてられては大変と皆よく予習して行った。いよいよその時間となり、先生はすまして教壇へお上がりになる。後には先生の同級生が大勢（二、三十人）見学している。先生は一通り読みが終わってから、「では解釈に移ります」とおっしゃった。さあ腕前（下しらべの）のほど、みせてくれん、と私もノートを開いた。私がまだノートをひねくっている中に、「平山さん」といきなり呼ばれて、私は面喰らってしまった。第一、私の名前を知られてるなんて夢にも思っていなかったのである。
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