Little Women — Page 3
" And Beth looked at her rough hands with a sigh that any one could hear that time.
そしてベスは、今度は誰にでも聞こえるようなため息をつきながら、自分のごつごつした手を見つめた。
"I don't believe any of you suffer as I do," cried Amy, "for you don't have to go to school with impertinent girls, who plague you if you don't know your lessons, and laugh at your dresses, and label your father if he isn't rich, and insult you when your nose isn't nice."
「あなたたちの誰も私ほど苦労していないと思うわ」とエイミーは叫んだ。「だって、あなたたちは生意気な女の子たちと一緒に学校へ行かなくていいんだもの。その子たちは、授業が分からないといじめるし、ドレスを笑うし、お父様が金持ちじゃないからってレッテルを貼るし、鼻の形が良くないと馬鹿にするのよ。」
"If you mean libel, I'd say so, and not talk about labels, as if Papa was a pickle bottle," advised Jo, laughing.
「誹謗中傷という意味なら、そう言えばいいじゃない。パパがピクルスの瓶みたいにラベルを貼られるなんて言い方はやめてよ」とジョーは笑いながら言った。
"I know what I mean, and you needn't be statirical about it. It's proper to use good words, and improve your vocabilary," returned Amy, with dignity.
「私は自分が何を言いたいか分かっているわ。皮肉を言わなくていいの。ちゃんとした言葉を使って、語彙を豊かにするのは大切なことよ」とエイミーは威厳を持って言い返した。
"Don't peck at one another, children. Don't you wish we had the money Papa lost when we were little, Jo? Dear me! How happy and good we'd be, if we had no worries!" said Meg, who could remember better times.
「子供たちよ、お互いにつつき合うのはやめなさい。ねえジョー、私たちが小さい頃にパパが失ったお金があればよかったと思わない？ まあ！ 心配事がなければ、どんなに幸せで良い子でいられたことでしょう！」と、もっと豊かだった頃を覚えているメグが言った。
"You said the other day you thought we were a deal happier than the King children, for they were fighting and fretting all the time, in spite of their money."
「先日あなたは、キング家の子供たちよりも私たちの方がずっと幸せだと思うって言っていたわ。あの子たちはお金があるのに、いつも喧嘩ばかりしてくよくよしているって。」
"So I did, Beth. Well, I think we are. For though we do have to work, we make fun of ourselves, and are a pretty jolly set, as Jo would say."
「確かにそう言ったわ、ベス。そうね、私もそう思う。仕事はしなければならないけれど、私たちは自分たちのことを笑い飛ばせるし、ジョーが言うように、なかなか陽気な仲間よ。」
"Jo does use such slang words!" observed Amy, with a reproving look at the long figure stretched on the rug.
「ジョーったら、本当に俗語ばかり使うんだから！」とエイミーは、敷物の上に長々と伸びている姿をたしなめるように見ながら言った。
Vocabulary
- そして
- soshite — Conjunction meaning 'and then' or 'and also'.
- は
- wa — Topic-marking particle indicating the sentence topic.
- 今度
- kondo — This time; next time; on this occasion.
- 誰
- dare — Interrogative pronoun meaning 'who'.
- に
- ni — Particle indicating direction, location, or indirect object.
- でも
- demo — Even; or used as 'anyone/anything' in questions.
- 聞こえる
- kikoeru — To be audible; to be heard by someone.
- よう
- yō — Expressing appearance or manner; 'it seems like'.
- な
- na — Sentence-final or adjectival particle for emphasis.
- ため息
- tameiki — A sigh; exhaling breath expressing emotion or fatigue.
- を
- wo — Object-marking particle indicating the direct object.
- つき
- tsuki — Stem of 'tsuku'; to let out, release (a sigh).
- ながら
- nagara — While doing something simultaneously; conjunctive particle.
- 自分
- jibun — Oneself; one's own self or body.
- の
- no — Possessive or nominalizing particle; 'of' or ''s'.
- ごつごつ
- gotsugotsu — Rugged, rough, and bony in texture or appearance.
- し
- shi — Conjunctive form of する; connects adjectives or clauses.
- た
- ta — Past tense auxiliary verb indicating completed action.
- 手
- te — Hand; the human hand or arm extremity.
- 見つめ
- mitsume — Stem of 'mitsumeru'; to stare at or gaze upon.
- あなたたち
- anatatachi — Plural second-person pronoun meaning 'you all'.
- も
- mo — Particle meaning 'also', 'too', or 'even'.
- 私
- watashi — First-person pronoun meaning 'I' or 'me'.
- ほど
- hodo — To the extent of; as much as; about.
- 苦労
- kurō — Hardship, toil, or suffering through difficulties.
- て
- te — Conjunctive particle connecting sequential or causal clauses.
- い
- i — Stem of いる; auxiliary indicating ongoing state.
- ない
- nai — Negative auxiliary meaning 'not' or 'does not exist'.
- と
- to — Quotation particle; also means 'and' or 'with'.
- 思う
- omou — To think, feel, or believe something.
- わ
- wa — Sentence-final particle expressing assertion, often feminine.
- 叫ん
- sakeben (叫ぶ) — Stem of 'sakebu'; to shout or cry out loudly.
- だ
- da — Copula meaning 'is' or 'are'; plain form of です.
- だって
- datte — Because; but; even; colloquial explanatory conjunction.
- 生意気
- namaiki — Cheeky, impudent, or presumptuous in attitude or behavior.
- 女の子
- onnanoko — Girl; young female child or young woman.
- たち
- tachi — Plural suffix for people; 'and others' or 'group of'.
- 一緒
- issho — Together; at the same time or in the same group.
- 学校
- gakkō — School; an educational institution for students.
- へ
- e — Directional particle indicating movement toward a destination.
- 行か
- ika (行く) — Negative stem of 'iku'; to go (negated form).
- なく
- naku — Negative conjunctive form; 'not doing' connecting clauses.
- いい
- ii — Good; fine; acceptable; an adjective of approval.
- ん
- n — Explanatory or assertive sentence-final particle.
- もの
- mono — Thing; nominalizer; also expresses complaint or reason.
- その
- sono — Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' (near listener).
- 子
- ko — Child; kid; also refers informally to a person.
- 授業
- jugyō — Lesson, class, or lecture at school.
- が
- ga — Subject-marking particle; also marks contrast or emphasis.
- 分から
- wakara (分かる) — Negative stem of 'wakaru'; to understand or comprehend.
- いじめる
- ijimeru — To bully, tease, or harass someone persistently.
- ドレス
- doresu — A dress; a woman's or girl's garment.
- 笑う
- warau — To laugh or smile at something or someone.
- お父様
- otōsama — Honorific for 'father'; very polite or formal address.
- 金持ち
- kanemochi — Wealthy person; someone who has a lot of money.
- じゃ
- ja — Contracted form of 'de wa'; 'is not' or 'well then'.
- から
- kara — Because; since; from; causal or source particle.
- って
- tte — Colloquial quotation or topic particle; 'they say that'.
- レッテル
- retteru — A label or tag attached to categorize someone judgmentally.
- 貼る
- haru — To stick, paste, or affix a label or sticker.
- 鼻
- hana — Nose; the facial organ for smelling and breathing.
- 形
- katachi — Shape, form, or appearance of something.
- 良く
- yoku — Adverb meaning 'well', 'nicely', or 'often'.
- 馬鹿
- baka — Fool, idiot; calling someone stupid or silly.
- する
- suru — To do; general-purpose action verb in Japanese.
- よ
- yo — Sentence-final particle asserting or informing the listener.
- 誹謗中傷
- hibō chūshō — Defamation and slander; malicious verbal attacks on someone.
- という
- to iu — Called; meaning; the thing referred to as.
- 意味
- imi — Meaning, sense, or significance of a word or action.
- なら
- nara — Conditional particle meaning 'if' or 'in that case'.
- そう
- sō — So; that way; expressing agreement or resemblance.
- 言えば
- ieba — Conditional of 'iu'; 'if you say' or 'speaking of'.
- パパ
- papa — Papa; informal word for father borrowed from English.
- 瓶
- bin — Bottle or jar used for storing liquids or food.
- みたい
- mitai — Like; similar to; it seems like (informal comparison).
- ラベル
- raberu — Label; a tag with information attached to something.
- 貼ら
- hara (貼る) — Passive stem of 'haru'; to have a label stuck on.
- れる
- reru — Passive auxiliary verb suffix indicating receiving an action.
- なんて
- nante — Such a thing as; expressing surprise or contempt.
- 言い方
- iikata — Way of saying or expressing something; phrasing.
- やめて
- yamete — Stop it; please cease doing that (imperative form).
- 笑い
- warai — Laughter, a smile, or the act of laughing.
- 言っ
- it (言う) — Stem of 'iu'; to say, speak, or utter something.
- 何
- nani — What; interrogative pronoun asking about a thing.
- 言い
- ii (言う) — Conjunctive stem of 'iu'; to say or express.
- たい
- tai — Auxiliary expressing desire to do something; 'want to'.
- か
- ka — Sentence-final question particle; marks interrogative sentences.
- 分かっ
- wakatte (分かる) — Te-form of 'wakaru'; understanding or knowing something.
- いる
- iru — To exist (animate); auxiliary for ongoing actions.
- 皮肉
- hiniku — Sarcasm, irony, or a cynical remark.
- 言わ
- iwa (言う) — Negative stem of 'iu'; not saying or instead of saying.
- ちゃんと
- chanto — Properly, correctly, or in an orderly manner.
- 言葉
- kotoba — Word, language, or manner of speaking.
- 使っ
- tsukatte (使う) — Te-form of 'tsukau'; to use or make use of.
- 語彙
- goi — Vocabulary; the set of words one knows.
- 豊か
- yutaka — Rich, abundant, or plentiful; applied to vocabulary or wealth.
- 大切
- taisetsu — Important, precious, or valuable; something to be treasured.
- こと
- koto — Thing, fact, or matter; nominalizer for verb phrases.
- 威厳
- igen — Dignity, majesty, or an air of authority.
- 持っ
- motte (持つ) — Te-form of 'motsu'; to hold or carry something.
- 言い返し
- iikaeshi — Talking back; responding sharply or with a retort.
- 子供たち
- kodomotachi — Children; a group of kids or young people.
- お互い
- otagai — Each other; mutually; one another.
- つつき
- tsutsuки (つつく) — Poking, pecking, or picking at each other repeatedly.
- 合う
- au — To do together mutually; to suit or fit each other.
- やめ
- yame (やめる) — Stem of 'yameru'; to stop or quit an action.
- なさい
- nasai — Imperative suffix meaning 'please do' (mild command).
- ねえ
- nee — Hey; say; seeking agreement or drawing attention.
- 私たち
- watashitachi — We; us; first-person plural pronoun.
- 小さい
- chiisai — Small, little, or young; adjective describing size or age.
- 頃
- koro — Around the time of; approximately when (temporal reference).
- 失っ
- ushinatte (失う) — Te-form of 'ushinau'; to lose or be deprived of.
- お金
- okane — Money; currency used for buying goods and services.
- あれ
- are — That (over there); distal demonstrative pronoun.
- ば
- ba — Conditional particle meaning 'if' in hypothetical sentences.
- よかっ
- yokatta (良い) — Past form of 'yoi'; it would have been good.
- 思わ
- omowa (思う) — Negative stem of 'omou'; not thinking or do you think.
- まあ
- maa — Well; oh my; a filler expressing mild surprise or resignation.
- 心配事
- shinpaigoto — A worry, concern, or source of anxiety.
- なけれ
- nakere (ない) — Conditional negative form; 'if there were not'.
- どんな
- donna — What kind of; what sort of (interrogative adjective).
- 幸せ
- shiawase — Happiness, good fortune, or a blessed state of being.
- で
- de — Particle indicating location of action, means, or cause.
- 良い
- yoi / ii — Good, fine, or favorable; basic positive adjective.
- られ
- rare — Potential or passive auxiliary suffix attached to verbs.
- でしょ
- desho — Probably; right?; seeking confirmation or expressing supposition.
- う
- u — Volitional or suppositional suffix; 'let's' or 'probably'.
- もっと
- motto — More; to a greater degree or extent.
- だっ
- datte (だ) — Past conjunctive of copula 'da'; 'was' connecting clauses.
- 覚え
- oboe (覚える) — Stem of 'oboeru'; to remember or memorize something.
- 先日
- senjitsu — The other day; recently; a few days ago.
- あなた
- anata — You; second-person singular pronoun (somewhat formal).
- 家
- ie / ke — House, home, or family household.
- より
- yori — Than; compared to; from (comparative particle).
- 方
- hō — Direction; way; alternative; used in comparisons.
- ずっと
- zutto — All along; far more; continuously over time.
- あの
- ano — That (over there); distal demonstrative adjective.
- ある
- aru — To exist (inanimate); to have (for things).
- いつも
- itsumo — Always, usually, or all the time.
- 喧嘩
- kenka — Fight, quarrel, or argument between people.
- ばかり
- bakari — Only; nothing but; just (indicating excess or exclusivity).
- くよくよ
- kuyokuyo — Brooding, fretting, or dwelling on worries needlessly.
- 確か
- tashika — Certainly, surely; if I recall correctly.
- ね
- ne — Sentence-final particle seeking agreement or confirmation.
- 仕事
- shigoto — Work, job, or occupation; daily professional activity.
- けれど
- keredo — But, however; conjunctive expressing contrast or concession.
- 自分たち
- jibuntachi — Ourselves; our own group (reflexive plural pronoun).
- 飛ばせる
- tobaseru — To make something fly or skip; cause to leap.
- 言う
- iu — To say, tell, or speak; basic speech verb.
- なかなか
- nakanaka — Quite, considerably; not easily (with negative); fairly good.
- 陽気
- yōki — Cheerful, merry, or lively in temperament.
- 仲間
- nakama — Companion, fellow, or member of a group.
- たら
- tara — Conditional particle meaning 'if', 'when', or 'after'.
- 本当
- hontō — True, real, or genuine; 'really' as an adverb.
- 俗語
- zokugo — Slang, colloquial language, or vulgar expression.
- 使う
- tsukau — To use, utilize, or employ something or someone.
- 敷物
- shikimono — Rug, mat, or floor covering spread on the ground.
- 上
- ue — Above, top, or on; indicating higher position or surface.
- 長々
- naganaga — At great length; stretched out for a long time.
- 伸び
- nobi (伸びる) — Stem of 'nobiru'; to stretch out or extend oneself.
- 姿
- sugata — Figure, appearance, or form of a person or thing.
- たしなめる
- tashinameru — To admonish gently; to caution or rebuke with care.
- 見
- mi (見る) — Stem of 'miru'; to see, look at, or observe.
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