寒さCold

About this story

After a snowfall, a student named Yasuyoshi sits in a physics office watching the stove fire and contemplating the cosmic cold of outer space. Two physics instructors engage in a playful philosophical debate about whether women are objects or animals. The story blends intellectual humor with vivid descriptions of winter cold.

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Source

This 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): 「芥川龍之介全集5」ちくま文庫、筑摩書房
1987（昭和62）年2月24日第1刷発行
1995（平成7）年4月10日第6刷発行

Typed in by j.utiyama. Proofread by かとうかおり.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, and replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

In a physics teachers' office, a playful debate about applying the law of heat transfer to love transitions to a discussion of marriage. Days later, the protagonist witnesses a tragic train accident at a railway crossing, leading to a meditation on life, death, and the indifferent laws of nature.

Key vocabulary

雪上ゆきあがり	snow melting morning; morning after a snowfall
ストオヴ	stove
伝熱作用でんねつさよう	heat transfer
轢死れきし	death by being run over (by train)
踏切ふみきり番ばん	railroad crossing guard

Grammar points you'll meet

• ～と云う N4A quotative particle used to indicate what someone or something is called; 'called' or 'named'.

  「堀川ほりかわ君くん。」　保吉やすきちはストオヴの前まえに立たった宮本みやもとと云いう理り学士がくしの顔かおを見上みあげた。

• ～てはいけません N5Expression meaning 'must not' or 'cannot' do something.

  「堀川ほりかわさん、宮本みやもとさんの云いうことなどを真面目まじめに聞きいてはいけませんよ。」

• ～はずだ N3Expresses expectation or logical conclusion; 'should be' or 'it is supposed that'.

  こりゃ怪あやしからん。僕ぼくの発見はっけんは長谷川はせがわ君くんを大おおいに幸福こうふくにしているはずじゃないか？

• ～ながら N4Indicates two actions occurring simultaneously; 'while'.

  その内うちに八はち時じの上のぼり列車れっしゃは長ながい汽笛きてきを鳴ならしながら、余あまり速力そくりょくを早はやめずに堤つつみの上うえを通とおり越こした。

• ～つつある N2Indicates an action or change is ongoing or in progress; 'is in the process of ~ing'.

  それは室内しつないに漂ただよう寒さむさと戦たたかいつづけている証拠しょうこだった。

Cultural notes

• 物理教官室 (Physics Teachers' Office)In Japanese schools, teachers often have a shared office (教官室) where they prepare lessons and discuss. The physics office here doubles as a setting for philosophical banter.
• 朝日新聞 (Asahi Newspaper)保吉 reads '朝日', likely the Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper. It was common to buy newspapers at station kiosks.
• 踏切り番 (Railroad Crossing Guard)In early 20th century Japan, many railroad crossings had a guard (踏切り番) who manually operated the gates and warned of approaching trains. This job was dangerous.
• 菰 (Komō, Straw Mat)A straw mat traditionally used to cover corpses or objects. Here it covers the body of the crossing guard.

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