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十円札

by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

A poor teacher with almost no money is saved by a ten-yen note.

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Original language: JapaneseLevel: Intermediate3,391 characters · ≈ 14 minSource: 青空文库

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Sample: three-line reading

Each word has its meaning in this sentence underneath, and each sentence has a full translation. Read the original and glance down only when you need to.

あるa certain / one曇ったcloudy / overcast初夏の朝early summer morning堀川保吉はHorikawa Yasokichi (topic)悄然とquietly / dejectedlyプラットフォオムの石段the platform's stone stepsを(object marker)登って行ったwalked up
On a cloudy early summer morning, Horikawa Yasokichi quietly walked up the stone steps of the platform.
と云ってもthat said / even so格別particularly大したbig / greatことではないis not a matter / is not the case
But it was no big deal.
彼はhe (topic)ただsimply / justズボンのポケットの底にat the bottom of his trouser pocket六十何銭sixty-some senしかno more than / only金のないhaving no money / there being no moneyことをthe fact that (object marker)不愉快に思っていたwas feeling displeased aboutのであるit was that (explanatory ending)
He was just unhappy that there was only sixty-something sen at the bottom of his pants pocket.
当時のat that time's (modifying what follows)堀川保吉Horikawa Yasokichi (a person's name)はtopic marker (as for)いつもalways金にmoney (with に marking the cause)困っていたwas troubled / was in difficulty (困っていた)
At that time, Horikawa Yasokichi was always short of money.

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About the book

This passage describes the poor teacher Hoshikuki Yasukichi, who has only a few dozen sen left in his pocket and worries about paying for a trip to Tokyo. It reads plainly with a touch of self-mockery, full of the awkwardness of being strapped for cash.

Cultural notes (selection)

Background a translation can’t carry: social roles, history and allusions. While reading, tap “Note” at the end of a sentence to see them all.

紀元節 Customs

One of the four great holidays of old Japan, falling on 11 February, traditionally believed to be the day the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, ascended the throne. It was abolished after the war, then revived in 1966 under the name Foundation Day. Since the hat in the text was newly bought for the holiday, we know the events took place in mid-February.

シルク・ハット Customs

A silk hat, that is, a formal top hat. In the Taishō era it was the formal headwear of men of standing going out; at eighteen yen fifty sen it was a luxury for Yasukichi, costing nearly a third of his monthly salary of sixty yen.

ワグラムの一戦に大勝を博したナポレオン Allusion

In 1809 Napoleon inflicted a crushing defeat on the Austrian army at the Battle of Wagram, one of his famous victories. Here his triumph after victory at Wagram is likened to Yasukichi's satisfaction after driving off the peddler.

About the author

Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (1 March 1892 – 24 July 1927), also known by his art name Chōkōdō Shujin, was a Japanese writer active in the Taishō period who is regarded as the "father of the Japanese short story". He died by suicide at the age of 35 through an overdose of barbital, and Japan's premier literary award, the Akutagawa Prize, is named after him.

How the glosses are made

Word glosses and sentence translations are generated in context by AI models (DeepSeek and Zhipu GLM), and every word is checked to have a gloss. AI can make mistakes; you can report problems from the book page.

FAQ

Is this the original text?

Yes. The library holds the opening section of the public-domain original, taken from 青空文库.

Do I need to pay or sign up?

Library books are free to read without an account. Other gloss languages and importing your own texts need an account and credits.

What level is it?

This one is marked “Intermediate”. Every word is glossed, so you can keep reading even with a small vocabulary.

Can I use another gloss language?

English and Chinese glosses are prepared in advance; signed-in readers can generate other languages.

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