作品Free Graded Reading
奥様探偵術The Lady Detective's Technique
Okusama Tanteijutsu
by 夢野 久作 · Yumeno Kyusaku
A housewife uses clever detective tricks to solve funny mysteries.
What you'll learn
What you'll learnA suspicious wife who frequently accuses her innocent husband of infidelity receives advice from a widow friend that he is actually provoking her jealousy. After impulsively divorcing him, he marries the widow, who turns out to have been his accomplice all along.
A refined and sophisticated madam uses psychological tactics to detect her husband's affairs, remaining calm and smiling while subtly manipulating him. She ultimately drives her husband to nervous exhaustion and inherits his fortune, later wondering if she was responsible.
A Frau whose husband is a notorious playboy remains devoted to him. After she finally explodes in anger, he slaps her and leaves. She feels this act made her truly submit to him with unconditional love.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| オクサマ | madam, wife (loanword from English 'madam') |
|---|---|
| 喰ってかかる (くってかかる) | to attack verbally, to quarrel |
| 胸倉 (むなぐら) | collar (of a jacket), front of the chest |
| 待合 (まちあい) | assignation house (place for secret meetings) |
| 心理的探偵 (しんりてきたんてい) | psychological detective work |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～かも知れません N4May/might be; indicates possibility引っくり返って足をバタバタされました……かも知れませんでした。
- ～てしまう N4To do something completely or regrettably無理やりに離婚の手続きをしてしまわれました。
- ～ことにする N4To decide to do somethingお茶碗を差し出しながら、思わず態度を勿体ぶったり…
- ～たところで N1Even if; no matter what (suggesting futility)なぞいうものは、もはや明治大正時代の遺物となりかけている……
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- 遊廓 (ゆうかく) and 待合 (まちあい)Traditional red-light districts and assignation houses from the Meiji and Taisho eras, which by the 1930s were being replaced by modern venues like bars and cafes.
- 茶屋遊び (ちゃやあそび)Visiting a tea house for entertainment, often with geisha or private parties, a common pastime for wealthy men in prewar Japan.
- 第三等訊問法 (だいさんとうじんもんほう)Reference to the 'third degree' interrogation method, indicating the influence of Western detective fiction and police methods in 1930s Japan.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionThe widow advised the wife that her husband had never actually visited a tea house.
- True
- False
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to the repeated use of オクサマ, マダム, フラウ—these are borrowed words denoting different social standings and psychological attitudes.
Read a sample in Japanese
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