Right here’s a phrase that you could be not instantly affiliate with the vacations: 懐が寒い (futokoro ga samui), which accurately means your 懐 (futokoro, bosom/breast pocket) will get 寒い (samui, chilly). In Japan, it’s a means of claiming you’re in need of money.
Whereas the Japanese don’t historically rejoice the spiritual points of クリスマス (kurisumasu, Christmas), we’ve taken to giving プレゼント (purezento, presents) with enthusiasm.
The giving doesn’t finish on Dec. twenty fifth, both. Every week after Christmas, the Japanese rejoice お正月 (o-shōgatsu, the brand new yr holidays) with household, and which means extra presents. This time, they arrive within the type of お年玉 (o-toshidama, new yr’s cash), given to youngsters by their mother and father and grandparents. Whereas adults could also be pleading 懐が寒くなった (futokoro ga samuku natta, I’ve change into broke), the youngsters will seemingly be squealing 懐が暖かい (futokoro ga atatakai, I’m wealthy)! Effectively, in the event that they communicate in an old-timey means, that’s. These idioms aren’t typically well-liked with 7-year-olds.
So why do the Japanese use 懐 in issues associated to cash? Effectively, it has to do with the sorts of kimono worn within the outdated days. An individual within the Meiji Period (1868-1912) would wrap their kimono with the proper aspect below the left and maintain it along with an 帯 (obi, belt). The fabric round their chest, the 懐, would have a pocket during which they’d preserve their pockets. Subsequently, when that “received chilly,” somebody was telling you they’d nothing of their pocket.
Let’s hope the 懐 is hotter than the climate at the moment of yr, although. It’s virtually time to ship お年玉, and this custom has very particular guidelines. At present, the going price for elementary school-aged college students is ¥3,000 and junior excessive college students and older are likely to obtain ¥5,000. These numbers change relying on the occasions, however the guidelines are available with regard to how this cash is introduced: The payments have to be crisp 新札 (shinsatsu, newly printed payments) and positioned in a ポチ袋 (pochi bukuro, cash envelope). Should you can write the kid’s identify in calligraphy, that’s even higher.
Thus, historically on the primary day of faculty after the winter break, a typical subject of dialog on the playground will contain お年玉:
大雅： 「お年玉いくらもらった？」
羽奏： 「全部で三万円もらった！大雅くんは？」
大雅： 「ええ、僕はお父さんとお母さんからしかもらえなかったから、五千円だよ。」
Taiga: “O-toshidama ikura moratta?”
Wakana: “Zenbu de sanman-en moratta! Taiga-kun wa?”
Taiga: “Ee, Boku wa otōsan to okāsan kara shika moraenakatta kara, gosen-en da yo.”
Taiga: “How a lot new yr’s cash did you get?”
Wakana: “I received ¥30,000 in whole! How about (you) Taiga?”
Taiga: “Eh, I solely received it from my mom and father, so ¥5,000.”
These days, youngsters usually tend to speak about what they received for Christmas on the playground, too. And previous to the vacation they are going to be speaking about what they need to get from Santa Claus. Little Aoi is perhaps seated on the desk when she mumbles a “クリスマスにはレゴが欲しいな” (Kurisumasu ni wa rego ga hoshii na, I need Lego for Christmas) for her mom to overhear.
Nonetheless, when Aoi’s mom tells her husband about this not-so-subtle trace, she’ll have to phrase issues in another way. When the topic isn’t the speaker, an evidential expression is required corresponding to ～がる (~garu, present indicators of ~), ～そうだ (~sō da, appear like), ～と言っていました (~to itte-imashita, they stated) or ～って (~tte), a casual marker that signifies rumour. Aoi’s mom would possibly inform her father, “葵ちゃん、サンタからレゴが欲しいって” (Aoi-chan, Santa kara rego ga hoshii-tte, Aoi says she needs Lego from Santa).
The usage of “～って” to finish an announcement is colloquial and advantageous to make use of with household. At work, nevertheless, one of many different expressions indicating a 3rd get together’s needs can be extra applicable. For instance, 小泉さんは新しいパソコンを欲しがっている (Koizumi-san wa atarashii pasokon o hoshigatte-iru, Ms. Koizumi would really like a brand new private laptop) makes use of “～がる,” and 妻はスマートフォンが欲しいと言っていました (Tsuma wa sumātofon ga hoshii to itte-imashita, My spouse says she needs a smartphone), makes use of “～と言っていました.”
Maybe you notice a colleague checking the clock repeatedly on Dec. 24. You could inform somebody, 松野さんは早く帰りたそうだ (Matsuno-san wa hayaku kaeritasō da, it seems to be like Mr. Matsuno needs to go house). This construction makes use of “～そうだ” with the verb ending “～たい,” which signifies a need to do one thing. If Mr. Matsuno was speaking about himself, he might use 帰りたいです (kaeritai desu, I need to go house). Nonetheless, should you’re the one pointing this out a few third particular person, then 帰りたそうです (kaeritasō desu, they appear to need to go house) is the right choice.
If it’s Christmas Eve, then possibly Mr. Matsuno has a sizzling date? That’s as a result of whereas お正月 is for households, クリスマス is often for 恋人 (koibito, lovers). Subsequently, a number of Japanese Christmas songs are likely to concentrate on {couples}. Certainly one of my favorites is “恋人がサンタクロース” (“Koibito ga Santa Kurōsu,” “My Child is Santa Claus”), launched in 1980 by J-pop singer 松任谷由実 (Matsutōya Yumi, Yumi Matsutoya), higher generally known as ユーミン (Yūmin, Yuming).
One of the best factor about having サンタクロース (Santa Kurōsu, Santa Claus) in your 恋人? He’s magic, so 懐が寒くならない (futokoro ga samuku naranai, he’ll by no means be in need of money).
The kanji Japan holds near its coronary heart
The phrase 懐 (futokoro) is used to explain the area/pocket between the interior and outer layers of a kimono round an individual’s chest that folks use to place their cash. Thus 懐 is commonly translated as “breast pocket.”
Because it’s situated close to your 心 (kokoro, coronary heart), 懐 can be utilized in many expressions having to do with the soul. Let’s take a look at some examples:
懐炉 (kairo): Normally written in katakana as カイロ, these are the small warmth packs that you could put below your garments to maintain heat.
懐石料理 (kaiseki ryōri): Not for use with the extra widespread 会席料理 (kaiseki ryōri) that refers to most multicourse gatherings, the kanji 懐石 (kaiseki) actually interprets as “breast-pocket stone” and developed from the apply of Zen monks warming a stone and placing it of their breast pockets to beat back starvation earlier than finally having their frugal 懐石 meal that’s related to tea ceremony.
懐に入る (futokoro ni hairu): This time period actually interprets as moving into somebody’s pocket and is used to consult with an individual who good points somebody’s belief, typically in a piece state of affairs. It has the nuance of buttering somebody up.
懐が深い (futokoro ga fukai): Saying somebody has deep pockets in English means they’ve limitless quantities of money. In Japan, saying somebody’s pocket is deep refers to somebody who’s broad-minded. Each 懐が広い (futokoro ga hiroi, pocket is broad) and 懐が大きい (futokoro ga ōkii, pocket is massive) have comparable meanings.
懐かしい (natsukashii): The phrase 懐かしい is difficult to translate into English nevertheless it means one thing acquainted to the center or soul, which is why the 懐 kanji is used, and is commonly rendered as “nostalgic.”
処女懐胎 (shojokaitai): Right here’s a use of 懐 associated to Christmas. 懐胎 (kaitai) means “conception” and when it’s mixed with 処女 (shojo) it particularly refers back to the Biblical story of the virgin start of Jesus Christ.
In a time of each misinformation and an excessive amount of data, high quality journalism is extra essential than ever.
By subscribing, you possibly can assist us get the story proper.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
