蓄音機
A physicist muses on Edison’s phonograph, sound and memory.
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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.
About the book
The passage begins with Edison's invention of the phonograph and a brief account of its early development, then shifts to the author's own boyhood memory of first seeing a phonograph demonstration in his middle school hall. It reads calmly and reflectively, weaving technological progress together with personal recollection.
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.
An armed anti-government rebellion launched in 1877 (Meiji 10) by samurai families from Kagoshima, led by Saigō Takamori; it was the last civil war of modern Japan. The author contrasts it with the fact that it fell in the same year as Edison's registration of the phonograph.
A degree title conferred on graduates of the literature faculties of pre-war imperial universities and other old-system universities. In the Meiji period it marked a high level of education and was much respected in the provinces. It carried an elite connotation at the time, beyond the modern general sense of a bachelor's degree.
A moral slogan of the Meiji state. "Loyalty to the sovereign and patriotism" (忠君愛国) was a core phrase of school education following the Imperial Rescript on Education (1890), while "benevolence, righteousness, propriety and wisdom" (仁義礼智) are four virtues taken from the five Confucian constants (仁義礼智信).
About the author
Torahiko Terada (November 28, 1878 – December 31, 1935) was a Japanese physicist and author born in Tokyo, who served as a professor at Tokyo Imperial University and conducted research at RIKEN and the Earthquake Research Institute. He studied literature under Natsume Sōseki, wrote under the pseudonym Fuyuhiko Yoshimura, and is best known for his numerous essays on topics ranging from science to manga.
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.
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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.