作品Free Graded Reading
落とした一銭銅貨The Dropped One-Sen Copper Coin
Otoshita Issen Douka
by 新美 南吉 · Niimi Nankichi
JLPT N4Short StoryQuiz ready
A sparrow drops his precious coin in the snow. Will he find it?
About this story
About this storyA sparrow finds a one-sen coin, loses it, and searches after recovering from a cold.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in Japanese雀が一銭銅貨をひろいました。雀はうれしくてうれしくてたまりません。ほかの雀をみると、「ぼくおかねをもってるよ。」といって、くわえていた一銭銅貨を砂の上においてみせてやりました。さて、日ぐれになりました。すこしくらくなってきました。「や、遊びすぎちゃった。これはたいへんだ。」と雀は、一銭銅貨をくわえて、おおいそぎで水車小屋の方へとんでいきました。この雀は水車小屋ののきばにすんでいたのでありました。まだ水車小屋につかないまえ、はたけの上をとんでいたとき、あまりあわてたので、雀は銅貨を落としてしまいました。「や、これはしまった。」けれどあたりはもう暗くて、雀の目はよくみることができなくなっていたので、「あしたの朝さがしにこよう。」といって、そのまま水車小屋の巣にかえりました。その夜はたいへん寒かったので、雀はかぜをひいてしまいました。それもそのはず、雪がどっさりふったのでありました。
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What you'll learn
What you'll learnA sparrow finds a one-sen coin and shows it to others, but loses it while flying home at dusk. After a snowy night, the sparrow gets sick. Upon recovery, it searches the field and eventually finds the coin in spring when butterbur sprouts appear.
Language difficultyBeginner · 30/100
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| 一銭銅貨 (いっせんどうか) | one-sen coin (old Japanese currency) |
|---|---|
| 水車小屋 (すいしゃごや) | watermill hut |
| ふきのとう | butterbur sprouts (edible spring plant) |
| 藁 (わら) | straw |
| のきば | eaves |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～てしまう N4Indicates completion or regretful action. Here 'lost the coin (regrettably)'.銅貨を落としてしまいました。
- ～てみせる N3To show off by doing something. 'Showed the coin to the others.'くわえていた一銭銅貨を砂の上においてみせてやりました。
- ～てくる N4Action of coming/going and returning, or starting an action. 'I'll come look for it tomorrow morning.'あしたの朝さがしにこよう。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- One-sen CoinThe sen was a unit of Japanese currency, 1/100 of a yen. One-sen coins were small copper coins used until the mid-20th century. In this story, it is a valuable treasure for the sparrow.
- Butterbur Sprouts (ふきのとう)Fuki-no-tō are the flower stalks of the butterbur plant, a popular spring vegetable in Japan. They are often foraged and used in tempura or miso soup, symbolizing the arrival of spring.
- Watermill Huts in Rural JapanWatermills (水車小屋) were common in rural Japan for grinding grain. They often had eaves where birds like sparrows would nest.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhat did the sparrow find at the beginning of the story?
- A one-yen coin
- A one-sen coin
- A butterbur sprout
- A straw
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipPay attention to onomatopoeia like どっさり (lots) and ちゃんと (properly) to understand the narrative style.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammarShort Storychildrenlossperseveranceheartwarmingphilosophicalaozora bunko〜てくるcome to / start to (toward speaker)〜てしまうended up (regret)
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