📖 Study Guide
Learn Japanese through stories.
These stories include Japanese culture,
daily life, travel experiences,
and conversations between people.
1. Read the English text.
2. Read the Japanese text.
3. Use Romaji if needed.
4. Review the vocabulary.
🌸 Story
Sakura and Sumire are walking side by side
in the chilly breeze.
Sumire notices that Sakura
keeps rubbing her hands together.
少し冷たい風が吹く中、
さくらとすみれが並んで歩いています。
すみれは、さくらが
何度も手をこすり合わせていることに気づきました。
Sukoshi tsumetai kaze ga fuku naka,
Sakura to Sumire ga narande aruite imasu.
Sumire wa, Sakura ga
nando mo te o kosuri awasete iru koto ni kizukimashita.
What have you been doing?
さっきから何してるの？
Sakki kara nani shiteru no?
I’m warming up my hands.
手を温めてるの。
Te o atatameteru no.
why don’t you wear gloves?
手袋すればいいのに。
tebukuro sureba ii noni.
Is it okay to wear gloves already? 😳
もう手袋してもいいの？😳
Mou tebukuro shite mo ii no? 😳
November has only just started!
まだ11月になったばかりだよ？
Mada juuichigatsu ni natta bakari da yo?
how cold the Kogarashi wind was!
言ってたじゃない。
itteta janai.
I just thought it might be too early.
なんか、まだ早いかなぁって。
Nanka, mada hayai kanaa tte.
It doesn’t matter if it’s early or late.
早いも遅いもないでしょ。
hayai mo osoi mo nai desho.
Then maybe I’ll start wearing gloves tomorrow! 😊
じゃあ、明日から手袋しようかな！😊
Jaa, ashita kara tebukuro shiyou kana! 😊
Why is it that
you always lose just one? 🤔
片方だけなくなるの、
なんでだろうね？🤔
Katahou dake nakunaru no,
nande darou ne? 🤔
Ahaha!
That really does happen a lot! 🤣
あははっ！
確かに、よくあるよね！🤣
Ahaha!
Tashika ni, yoku aru yo ne! 🤣
at the same time, but…
まだわかるんだけど……
mada wakaru n dakedo…
If you only have one glove left,
you can’t really use it, right?
片方だけ残っても、
使い道がないじゃない？
Katahou dake nokotte mo,
tsukaimichi ga nai janai?
I’ll just bring one glove from the start! 😊
片方だけ持っていこうかな！😊
katahou dake motte ikou kana! 😊
even if I lose it, I’ll only lose one! 🤣
なくすのも片方だけで済むでしょ！🤣
nakusu no mo katahou dake de sumu desho! 🤣
Then one of your hands
will be cold from the start! 🤣🐾
それじゃ最初から
片方の手が寒いじゃない！🤣🐾
Sore ja saisho kara
katahou no te ga samui janai! 🤣🐾
💭 Story Note
### 🧤 When Is It Time to Wear Gloves?
In Japan, November is often a time
when people begin preparing for winter.
Some days still feel warm,
while mornings and evenings can be quite cold.
People may wonder:
「もう手袋してもいいの？」
Mou tebukuro shite mo ii no?
“Is it okay to wear gloves already?”
There is no special date when everyone
starts wearing gloves.
People simply choose what feels comfortable
for the weather.
### 🍂 Getting Ready for Winter — 冬支度
The Japanese word 冬支度 (fuyujitaku)
means getting ready for winter.
This can include taking out warm clothes,
gloves, scarves, or winter coats.
It often happens little by little,
as the weather becomes colder.
For many people, winter preparation begins
when they notice changes in the air
and start feeling the need for warmer clothes.
### 🧤 Why Does Only One Glove Go Missing?
Gloves usually come in pairs.
But sometimes, people lose just one glove
while taking it off or carrying it around.
In Japanese, people often say:
「片方だけなくなった。」
Katahou dake nakunatta.
“I lost just one.”
The word 片方 (katahou) refers to one
of two matching things.
It can be used for gloves, shoes,
earrings, and other pairs.
That’s why Sakura’s idea of bringing
only one glove sounds a little funny.
If she brings only one,
one hand will be cold from the very beginning!
📚 Vocabulary
EN: gloves
JP: 手袋
ROMAJI: tebukuro
EN: one of a pair / one side
JP: 片方
ROMAJI: katahou
EN: to rub together
JP: こすり合わせる
ROMAJI: kosuri awaseru
EN: to lose / to misplace
JP: なくす
ROMAJI: nakusu
🌱 Language Tip — 片方 (katahou)
In Japanese, 片方 (katahou) means
one of two things, or one side.
It is often used when talking about
things that come in pairs,
such as gloves, socks, or shoes.
For example, Sakura says:
「片方だけなくなるの、なんでだろうね？」
Katahou dake nakunaru no, nande darou ne?
“Why is it that you always lose just one?”
Here, 片方だけ (katahou dake)
means “only one of the pair.”
You can also use it in everyday situations.
For example:
「手袋を片方なくした。」
Tebukuro o katahou nakushita.
“I lost one of my gloves.”
「靴下が片方ない。」
Kutsushita ga katahou nai.
“One of my socks is missing.”
片方 is also used for one side of something,
such as one hand or one side of a room.
The important feeling is that
there are two sides or two matching things,
and you are talking about just one of them.
So, when you hear 片方,
imagine one half of a pair.
🔰 Mix Words and Feel Their Meaning｜ことばを混ぜて、感覚をつかもう
「片方 (katahou)」means one of two matching things,
or one side of something.
For example…
I lost 片方 of my gloves. 💦
Only 片方 of my socks came out of the laundry.
There’s just 片方 of my shoes by the door.
When two things belong together,
but you’re talking about only one,
that’s the feeling of 片方.
Imagine one glove,
with its matching partner missing.
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