作品Free Graded Reading
似たひとThe Look-Alike
Nita Hito
by 宮本 百合子 · Miyamoto Yuriko
JLPT N3ArticleQuiz ready
Why do strangers keep mistaking me for a chubby look-alike? A funny short essay.
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.
Language difficultyIntermediate · 45/100
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.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese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、「あなた、染物屋の横にあるお風呂へよく行くの」ときいた。「行かないわ」「ほんと？ じゃどうしたんだろう、始終あすこで見かけるって云っていた人があってよ」ふき出しながら、私は、「お気の毒だわ、間違えられた人――」と云った。「こんな、ちょうろぎのようなの、やっぱりあるのかしら……」それから程もない或る夕方、ガラリと格子をあけて紙包をかかえた妹が入って来た。立ったまま、「きょうお姉様に上野の広小路と山下の間で会った」とハアハア笑った。「いやよ、何云ってるのさ」「だって、バスにのっているすぐとなりの男のひとが、ほらあれって云ってるんだもの」「見たの？」「ううん、こんでいてそっちは見えなかった。フフフフ」私があんまり丸まっちいので、いくらか丸い、或は相当に丸いひとがみんなその一つの概念にあてはめて間違われるのはなかなか愉快だと思う。
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