作品Free Graded Reading
忘れものThe Forgotten Thing
Wasuremono
by 原 民喜 · Hara Tamiki
A man's forgetfulness leads to a surprising family announcement.
About this story
About this storyA man repeatedly forgets important things, leading to unexpected consequences and a secret from his wife.
Read a sample in Japanese
Read a sample in JapaneseSource
SourceThis 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): 「普及版 原民喜全集第一巻」芳賀書店
1966（昭和41）年2月15日初版発行
Typed in by 蒋龍. Proofread by 伊藤時也.
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
What you'll learnA man forgets to stamp a letter, loses a gift from his senior, and returns home to learn his wife is pregnant.
Key vocabulary
Key vocabulary| はっと | with a start, suddenly realizing |
|---|---|
| 凩 (こがらし) | cold wintry wind |
| 佃煮 (つくだに) | food boiled in soy sauce |
Grammar points you'll meet
Grammar points you'll meet- ～ながら N4Connects two actions, 'while doing'何だか変だとは思ひながら、ポストの口へ入れて行った。
- ～ねばならない N3must do, have to do今日も職のことで先輩を訪はねばならない日だった。
Cultural notes
Cultural notes- Tsukudani (佃煮)A Japanese preservation method where seafood or seaweed is simmered in soy sauce and sugar. Often given as a gift.
Try a comprehension question
Try a comprehension questionWhy did the man make a face when he dropped the letter into the post box?
- He forgot to put a stamp on the letter.
- He realized he had the wrong address.
- The letter was torn.
Sensei's reading tip
Sensei's reading tipFocus on the repeated theme of forgetfulness to understand the character's state of mind.
Topics & grammar
Topics & grammar
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