Mother West Wind "Why" Stories — Page 96

Vocabulary

は

wa — Topic-marking particle indicating the subject.

熱心

nesshin — Eagerness, enthusiasm, or devotion toward something.

に

ni — Particle indicating direction, location, or manner.

微笑み

hohoemi — A smile; gentle facial expression of happiness.

の

no — Possessive or linking particle connecting nouns.

池

ike — A pond; small body of still water.

を

wo — Object-marking particle indicating the direct object.

のぞき込み

nozokikomi — Peering or looking closely into something.

やがて

yagate — Before long; soon; eventually in time.

大きな

ookina — Large, big; describing something of great size.

飛び出した

tobidashita — Jumped out or sprang forward suddenly.

二つ

futatsu — Two things; the number two for counting objects.

目

me — Eye; the organ used for seeing.

と

to — Particle meaning 'and' or 'with' linking items.

緑色

midoriiro — The color green; green-colored appearance.

頭

atama — Head; the upper part of the body.

てっぺん

teppen — The very top or peak of something.

が

ga — Subject-marking particle highlighting the grammatical subject.

ほぼ

hobo — Almost, nearly; approximately but not exactly.

真ん中

mannaka — The very center or middle of something.

あたり

atari — Around, about; in the vicinity of a place.

見えた

mieta — Was visible; could be seen at that moment.

それ

sore — That; a pronoun referring to something nearby.

朝

asa — Morning; the early part of the day.

水泳

suiei — Swimming; the activity of moving through water.

楽しんで

tanoshinde — Enjoying; taking pleasure in an activity.

いる

iru — To exist; auxiliary indicating ongoing action.

カエル

kaeru — A frog; small amphibian living near water.

おじいさん

ojiisan — Grandfather or elderly man; respectful term.

本人

honnin — The person themselves; the individual in question.

だった

datta — Was; past tense of the copula 'da'.

あら

ara — Oh my; exclamation expressing mild surprise.

全然

zenzen — Not at all; completely (used with negatives).

気づきません

kizukimasen — Do not notice; formal negative of 'kizuku'.

でした

deshita — Was; polite past tense of the copula.

叫んだ

sakenda — Shouted, cried out loudly in surprise or alarm.

もし

moshi — If; introduces a hypothetical or conditional clause.

気づいて

kizuite — Noticing; becoming aware of something (te-form).

いたら

itara — If (one) had been; conditional past auxiliary form.

もちろん

mochiron — Of course; naturally; without doubt or hesitation.

声

koe — Voice; the sound produced when speaking or calling.

かけて

kakete — Calling out to; addressing someone (te-form).

いた

ita — Was doing; past progressive auxiliary verb form.

のに

noni — Even though; expresses regret or disappointment.

実

jitsu — In truth, actually; introducing a candid admission.

ぼく

boku — I, me; informal first-person pronoun used by males.

話

hanashi — A story, talk, or conversation about something.

聞き

kiki — Listening, hearing; stem form of 'kiku' (to hear).

たい

tai — Want to do; expresses desire to perform an action.

んだろう

ndarou — Probably; expressing conjecture or rhetorical question.

言葉

kotoba — Words, language; spoken or written expression.

引き取って

hikitotte — Taking over speech; continuing or finishing another's words.

言った

itta — Said, spoke; simple past tense of 'iu'.

ごまかせ

gomakase — Cannot deceive or fool; evade or gloss over.

ない

nai — Negation; does not, is not, cannot.

よ

yo — Sentence-final particle asserting or emphasizing information.

お前

omae — You; informal or blunt second-person pronoun.

ただ

tada — Simply, merely, just; nothing more than that.

せがみ

segami — Pestering, begging persistently for something desired.

来た

kita — Came; past tense of the verb 'kuru' (to come).

こと

koto — Thing, fact, matter; nominalizer for verbal phrases.

わかってる

wakatteru — Already know, understand; ongoing state of knowing.

んだから

ndakara — Because; explanatory conjunction giving reason or justification.

さて

sate — Well then, now; transition word to change topic.

今回

konkai — This time; referring to the current occasion.

何

nani — What; interrogative pronoun asking about a thing.

んだい

ndai — What is it?; casual interrogative seeking explanation.

お願い

onegai — A request or favor; please do something asked.

ある

aru — To exist, to have; existential verb for objects.

のです

nodesu — It is that; explanatory or emphatic sentence ending.

丁寧

teinei — Polite, courteous, careful; showing respectful manners.

そして

soshite — And then; conjunction connecting sequential events.

嬉しそう

ureshisou — Appearing happy or pleased; looking joyful.

答えた

kotaeta — Answered, replied; past tense of 'kotaeru'.

機嫌

kigen — Mood, humor; one's emotional state or temper.

よさそう

yosasou — Seems good; appearing to be in good condition.

な

na — Sentence-final particle expressing light emphasis or reflection.

わかった

wakatta — Understood, got it; past tense of 'wakaru'.

から

kara — Because, since; indicates reason or starting point.

だ

da — Is, am, are; plain form of the copula.

なぜ

naze — Why; interrogative asking for a reason or cause.

コウモリ

koumori — A bat; nocturnal flying mammal active at night.

夜

yoru — Night; the dark period after sunset before dawn.

しか

shika — Only, nothing but; used with negative verb forms.

飛ば

toba — Fly, soar; stem of 'tobu' in compound or negative.

か

ka — Question particle or 'or'; marks interrogative sentences.

緑

midori — Green; the color of plants and nature.

蓮

hasu — Lotus; aquatic plant with large floating leaves.

葉

ha — Leaf; the flat green part of a plant.

上

ue — Above, on top; indicating higher position or surface.

よじ登り

yojinobori — Climbing up by clinging; scrambling up a surface.

くつろいだ

kutsuroida — Relaxed, settled in comfortably; at ease.

じっと

jitto — Staying still, motionless; quietly without moving.

座って

suwatte — Sitting down; te-form of 'suwaru' (to sit).

自分

jibun — Oneself; reflexive pronoun referring to the self.

どれほど

dorehodo — How much, to what extent; expressing degree.

待ちきれ

machikire — Cannot bear to wait any longer; impatient.

気持ち

kimochi — Feeling, emotion; one's inner emotional state.

表

omote — Surface, outward appearance; the outside or front.

出さ

dasa — Bring out, show; stem of 'dasu' (to put out).

よう

you — So as to; expresses intention or manner of action.

した

shita — Did; past tense of 'suru' (to do).

ゆっくり

yukkuri — Slowly, leisurely; taking one's time without hurrying.

時間

jikan — Time; a period or duration measured in hours.

かけた

kaketa — Spent time or effort; past tense of 'kakeru'.

焦れったい

jirettai — Frustrating, irritating; feeling impatient with slow progress.

必死

hisshi — Desperate, frantic; trying with all one's effort.

我慢

gaman — Patience, endurance; putting up with difficulty.

しよう

shiyou — Let's do; volitional form expressing intention or suggestion.

して

shite — Doing; te-form of 'suru', connecting sequential actions.

様子

yousu — Appearance, situation; the state or manner of things.

おかしくて

okashikute — Being funny or strange; te-form of 'okashii'.

きらり

kirari — A brief glitter or sparkle; flashing brightly momentarily.

輝いた

kagayaita — Shone, sparkled; past tense of 'kagayaku' (to shine).

ついに

tsui ni — Finally, at last; after a long wait or effort.

あまり

amari — Too much, so much; used with negatives or excess.

突然

totsuzen — Suddenly, abruptly; without warning or expectation.

さ

sa — Sentence-final particle adding light emphasis or assertion.

飛び上がった

tobiagatta — Leaped up, jumped up suddenly into the air.

たいへん

taihen — Very, greatly; also means 'serious situation'.

よろしい

yoroshii — Good, acceptable; polite form of 'ii' (good).

本当

hontou — Really, truly; genuine or real situation/feeling.

では

dewa — Well then; transitional expression moving to next point.

あげよう

ageyou — I will give; volitional form of 'ageru' (to give).

いよう

iyou — Let's be; volitional of 'iru', expressing intention.

努力

doryoku — Effort, hard work; striving earnestly toward a goal.

褒めた

hometa — Praised, complimented; past tense of 'homeru'.

だが

daga — But, however; conjunction introducing a contrasting statement.

わからず

wakarazu — Without understanding; not comprehending something at all.

言いたい

iitai — Want to say; expressing desire to communicate something.

想像

souzou — Imagination; forming a mental image of something.

も

mo — Also, even; inclusive or additive particle.

でき

deki — Can do, be able; stem of 'dekiru' (to be able).

なかった

nakatta — Did not exist or could not; past negative form.