What JLPT level is 掏摸と泥棒たち?

掏摸と泥棒たち is suitable for JLPT N1 level readers (estimated JLPT N1).

How long does 掏摸と泥棒たち take to read?

掏摸と泥棒たち takes about 22 minutes (around 1781 words) to read at a learner's pace.

作品さくひんFree Graded Reading

掏摸と泥棒たちThe Pickpockets and the Thieves

Suri to Dorobōtachi

by 片山広子 · Katayama Hiroko

JLPT N1Short StoryQuiz ready

Hilarious pickpocketing mishaps that feel surprisingly modern.

About this story

After Mr. Y gets pickpocketed on the train, he and his wife debate whether to still see a play.

Read a sample in Japanese

Ｙ氏が山手線電車の中で集団掏摸のためにポケットの中をみんな奪われて帰って来た。その日Ｙ氏夫妻は帝劇の「モルガンお雪」を観ることになっていて、Ｙ氏の切符はポケットの中のほかの物と一緒に掏摸の手に渡り、奥さんの切符は無事に家に残っていた。一人でも行って観て来たらとＹ氏は言ったが、奥さんは掏摸と並んで芝居を見ることになるかもしれないから止めると言った。掏摸はそんな切符は帝劇の入口あたりで誰かに売ってしまうだろうから、奥さんの隣りに腰かける人は掏摸とは何も関係のないよその人だろうよとＹ氏が言った。けれど切符を見た拍子に掏摸の一人が急に「モルガンお雪」を見る気になるかもしれないし、だいいち自分の隣りの人が掏摸だか唯のしろうとだか、どっちとも分からないあやふやの気持ちで芝居を見るのはたまらないと言って彼女はゆくのを止めた。

Read the full text with furigana + instant lookups in Yomimaru →

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): 「燈火節」月曜社
2004（平成16）年11月30日第1刷発行

Typed in by 竹内美佐子. Proofread by 伊藤時也.

Yomimaru changed the spelling to modern kana and modern kanji, replaced classical grammar and some archaic words with modern ones, and rephrased some sentences, keeping their meaning.

The furigana are Yomimaru's.

What you'll learn

The narrator recounts Y's experience of being pickpocketed on the Yamanote Line, and other anecdotes about organized pickpocketing and solitary thieves, ending with a philosophical reflection on crime from Father Brown.

Language difficultyAdvanced · 85/100

Key vocabulary

掏摸 (すり)	pickpocket
奪られる (うばわれる)	to be robbed (passive of 奪う)
災難 (さいなん)	disaster, misfortune

Grammar points you'll meet

～ために (purpose) N3Indicates purpose: 'for the sake of', 'in order to'.
Ｙ氏が山手線電車の中で集団掏摸のためにポケツトの中をみんな奪られて帰つて来た。
～かもしれない N4Expresses possibility: 'might', 'maybe'.
一人でも行つて観て来たらとＹ氏は言つたが、奥さんは掏摸と並んで芝居を見ることになるかもしれないから止めると言つた。
～たことがある N5Indicates past experience: 'have done something'.
前に一度この配達人を或る夜ふけに大井の庚塚あたりで見かけたことのある刑事が、

Cultural notes

Father BrownA fictional detective and Catholic priest created by G.K. Chesterton. In the text, the narrator references Father Brown's wisdom about crime.
Kogoro AkechiA famous fictional detective in Japanese literature, created by Edogawa Ranpo. The text mentions '銭形平次' and 'あご十郎' as similar Japanese detectives.
Ooka Echizen-no-kamiA historical magistrate in Edo-period Japan, known for his wise judgments in criminal cases. He is mentioned as a real-life great detective.