花子
by Mori Ōgai
The sculptor Rodin models the Japanese actress Hanako.
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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 opens with the sculptor Rodin entering his workshop, describing the quiet space filled with unfinished works, before an impresario arrives to say he has brought the Japanese actress Hanako as arranged. The pace is unhurried and the detail close, giving a calm, observant reading experience.
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 eighteenth-century mansion on Paris's Left Bank, originally a private aristocratic residence, later rented to a religious order. From 1908 Rodin used it as his studio, and by his will he donated his works to the state in exchange for the right to live there for life; it later became the Musée Rodin.
The Society of the Sacred Heart, a French Catholic female religious order founded in 1800, which took in daughters of wealthy families and gave them a boarding education. Before Rodin moved in, the building was a convent of this order.
Hanako was a real person, whose original name was Ōta Hisa (太田ひさ), a Japanese performer who went to Europe in the Meiji period. From around 1902 she toured in various parts of Europe, and from 1906 she became Rodin's model.
About the author
Mori Ōgai (February 17, 1862 – July 8, 1922), born Mori Rintarō, was a Japanese Army Surgeon general officer, translator, novelist and poet, and father of the writer Mari Mori. He obtained his medical license at a young age, introduced translated German literary works to Japanese readers, and is considered a leading figure who modernized Japanese literature; his major work is The Wild Geese (1911–1913).
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.
More by this author
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- The Abe FamilyMori Ōgai · Advanced
- The Wild GeeseMori Ōgai · Advanced
- YouthMori Ōgai · Advanced
- 杯Mori Ōgai · Intermediate
- 牛鍋Mori Ōgai · Intermediate