After living in Japan for a while, you start to notice the small, unspoken things. For example, the sound of a dropped phone on a quiet train often means that someone had fallen asleep and dropped it. In such a silent and reserved place, that sound is very loud! Another one is seeing a handkerchief or a small item on a table in a cafe. It doesn't mean someone forgot something; it means they are saving the table. In America, we would never think to do that! A third thing is the specific sound of the train station chimes, which are often different at each station. These are small things, but they are a big part of living in Japan!
(日本にしばらく住んでいると、小さな暗黙のルールに気づき始めます。例えば、静かな電車の中で携帯電話が落ちた音は、誰かが寝てしまってそれを落としたことが多いです。静かで控えめな場所では、その音はとても大きく響きますね！もう一つは、カフェでテーブルの上にハンカチや小さな物を置いているのを見ることです。これは誰かが何かを忘れたわけではなく、その席を確保しているという意味です。アメリカでは、そんなことは考えもしません。そして3つ目は、駅の出発を知らせるチャイムが駅ごとに違うことです。これらは小さなことですが、日本で生活する上での大きな一部です！)
Key Vocabulary
(重要な単語)
* unspoken: not expressed in speech; understood without being said.
(暗黙の、言葉に出されない)
* reserved: slow to reveal emotion or opinion.
(控えめな、遠慮がちな)
* saving: keeping something for a later time; in this context, keeping a place for someone.
(確保する、取っておく)
* chimes: a ringing sound made by a bell or a musical instrument.
(チャイム、鐘の音)
Key English Phrase
(重要な英語フレーズ)
The phrase is "fall asleep." (フォール・アスリープ)
This means to enter a state of sleep, often unintentionally. It is a very common phrase to describe someone who has drifted off, for example, on the train or in a meeting.
(これは、眠りの状態に入ることを意味し、しばしば意図せず眠ってしまう場合に使われます。例えば、電車の中や会議中にうとうとする人を表現するのによく使われるフレーズです。)
How to Use It in Conversation
(会話での使い方)
* "He was so tired that he fell asleep on the couch."
(「彼はとても疲れていたので、ソファで寝てしまった。」)
* "Don't fall asleep during the movie!"
(「映画中に寝ちゃだめだよ！」)
* "I almost fell asleep on the train this morning."
(「今朝、電車の中でうっかり寝そうになった。」)
* "The sound of the rain makes me want to fall asleep."
(「雨の音を聞くと、眠りたくなります。」)
* "She often falls asleep while reading."
(「彼女はよく読書中に寝てしまう。」)
Quiz Time!
1. What is the English word for「控えめな」?
a) unspoken
b) reserved
c) chimes
2. The phrase "fall asleep" means to...
a) lose your balance.
b) enter a state of sleep.
c) drop something.
3. Fill in the blank: "He __ a seat for his friend."
a) found
b) reserved
c) saving
4. Fill in the blank: "The sound of the station __ tells you the train is about to leave."
a) bells
b) alarms
c) chimes
Ask your teacher if you are not sure of the correct answers!
What do you think of this? What are some small, unspoken rules or things you have noticed in Japan? I look forward to hearing your comments!
Miami Eikaiwa Blog: https://miamieikaiwa.blogspot.com/?m=1
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