Koinobori
 |
Koinobori are the Carp Flags flown on Children's Day in honor of boys. Read the story below while listening to the audio either fast (normal speed) or slow if you need to train your ears. Download or view the PDF (above) for more explanation. |
Hear the story read SLOW Hear the story read NORMAL speed
|
５月５日gogatsu itsuka May 5th |
Translation Notes
- こどもの日 was once just for boys (hence the 鯉のぼり) but to be fair to the
girls, it was changed to こともの日. There is still a day specifically for girls on
March Third (3-3, also called 桃の節句 momo no sekku) called ひな祭り
(doll festival) - 端午の節句 is May fifth (5-5) while the girls’ 桃の節句 is March third (3-3)
- とされています or といわれ and similar passive phrases are often used to
explain cultural traditions. This is similar to the English “they said...” - Notice the trailing い in 力強い which tells us the reading will be the 訓読み.
The つよい adds a ten-ten to become ちからづよい - 縁起のよいもの (or 縁起がよい）is a set phrase meaning “lucky” and usually
deals with being superstitious; 縁起の悪いもの would be the opposite.
縁起をかつぐ is “to be superstitious” - 願いを込める is a set phrase/idiom meaning “to make a wish”. The fulfillment
of a wish is 願いがかなう “dreams come true” - Chchan45 from the Forums mentioned this important point: Also、learners of
Japanese should be informed that the following kanji are not in commonly used (i.e.
they are outside 常用漢字).
鯉（こい）
餅（もち）
鎧兜（よろいかぶと）
柏（かしわ）
粽（ちまき）
