作品Free Graded Reading
似たひとThe Look-Alike
Nita Hito
by 宮本 百合子 · Miyamoto Yuriko
Why do strangers keep mistaking me for a chubby look-alike? A funny short essay.
About this text
About this textA woman humorously recounts how her round face leads to frequent cases of mistaken identity.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis text comes from Aozora Bunko (青空文庫), the volunteer-run library of Japanese writing that is out of copyright. See this work on Aozora Bunko
Base edition (底本): 「宮本百合子全集 第十七巻」新日本出版社
1981（昭和56）年3月20日初版発行
1986（昭和61）年3月20日第4刷発行
Typed in by 柴田卓治. Proofread by 磐余彦.
Yomimaru has not changed the spelling or the wording.
The furigana are Yomimaru's.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnThe narrator is told by a friend that someone often sees her at a bathhouse, which she denies. Later, her sister reports seeing her at Ueno, but it was another person. The narrator finds it amusing that any round person is mistaken for her.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 染物屋 (そめものや) | dyeing shop |
|---|---|
| 格子 (こうし) | lattice door or window |
| 紙包 (かみづつみ) | paper package |
| 広小路 (ひろこうじ) | Hirokoji (place name in Ueno, Tokyo) |
| 丸まっちい (まるまっちい) | roundish (colloquial adjective) |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ている N5Indicates ongoing action or resultant state.お茶をいれている私のそばである友達が栗の皮をむきながら
- ～ながら N4Means 'while doing' an action.お茶をいれている私のそばである友達が栗の皮をむきながら
- ～のだ N4Used for explanatory or assertive tone.始終あすこで見かけるって云っていた人があってよ
- ～まま N3Indicates doing something in a state or while remaining in a state.立ったまま、
- ～ので N3Expresses cause or reason; 'because'.私があんまり丸まっちいので、
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Ueno Hirokoji and YamashitaUeno Hirokoji is a well-known street in Ueno, Tokyo, near the famous Ueno Park. Yamashita (literally 'under the mountain') is another area in Ueno. Both are historic districts often mentioned in literature.
- Somenomoya (Dyeing Shop)Traditional Japanese dyeing shops (染物屋) are craft businesses that specialize in dyeing fabrics, often using indigo. They are a common element in old townscapes.
- Chestnut PeelingPeeling chestnuts (栗の皮むき) is a seasonal activity in autumn in Japan, often done while chatting. It requires patience and skill.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionThe narrator often goes to the bathhouse near the dyeing shop.
- True
- False
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the playful tone, especially the narrator's humorous reaction to being mistaken.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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