作品Free Graded Reading
昆虫図Insect Diagram
Konchu zu
by 久生 十蘭 · Hisao Juran
JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready
A painter's studio becomes mysteriously infested with flies and then butterflies—what's going on?
What you'll learn
What you'll learnAoki visits his neighbor Danroku's studio and witnesses a bizarre series of insect infestations—flies, butterflies, moths, beetles, and worms—that coincide with the absence of Danroku's wife. Aoki's own female companion reveals a folk belief about insects following burial, leading to the unsettling conclusion that something is rotting beneath the floor.
Language difficultyAdvanced · 75/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 年増くさい (としまくさい) | seems past one's prime |
|---|---|
| 角刈 (かくがり) | square haircut |
| 頭痛膏 (ずつうこう) | headache plaster |
| 銀蠅 (ぎんばえ) | silver fly (a type of blowfly) |
| 野分 (のわき) | typhoon; autumn storm |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～くさい N2Suffix indicating 'seems like', 'smells like', often negative connotation.年増くさい女と二人で住んでいた。
- ～がち N3Tendency to do something; often negative.時代おくれな顔をした、日蔭の花のような陰気くさい女で、
- ～ておく N4To do something in advance; leave as is.あッさりと埋めといて、早く骨になるのを待つの。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- お洗骨 (Bone Washing)A traditional Japanese funeral ritual where bones are washed after cremation, often involving gathering the bones with chopsticks. Here it is described as burying temporarily to let the flesh decay naturally, which is a variant practice.
- 吉原 (Yoshiwara)The famous red-light district in Edo (modern Tokyo). The mention suggests the wife's dubious past.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat is the first type of insect that appears in Danroku's studio?
- Butterflies
- Flies
- Beetles
- Moths
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay close attention to the progressive descriptions of insects; they mirror the stages of decay.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese伴団六は、青木と同じく、大して才能のなさそうな貧乏画かきで、地続きの古ぼけたアトリエに、年増くさい女と二人で住んでいた。青木がその裏へ越して以来の、極く最近のつきあいで、もと薬剤師だったというほか、くわしいことは一切知らなかった。職人か寄席芸人かといったように髪を角刈にし、額を叩いたり眼を剥いて見せたり、ひとを小馬鹿にした、どうにも手に負えないようなところがあって、これが、最初、青木の興味をひいたのである。細君のほうは、ひどく面長な、明治時代の女官のような時代おくれな顔をした、日蔭の花のような陰気くさい女で、蒼ざめたこめかみに紅梅色の頭痛膏を貼り、しょっちゅう額をおさえてうつ向いていた。吉原にいたことがあるという噂だった。
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