Maddies Manga

One of my favourite ways to study Japanese is through light novels! As my Japanese level grew higher and higher, it became difficult for me to find manga that actually challenged me. While of course I don’t know every word I come across, it’s much easier to use the context a manga provides to fill in the blank versus a novel.

Light novels tend to use more difficult vocabulary than manga, as well as little furigana. So, what better resource to use to strengthen my Japanese!? While I like to believe my Japanese is rather advanced, I am very quick to forget things. So, it’s necessary for me to have as much exposure to written as possible, so that I don’t let all of my hard work go to waste.

P.S., there’s absolutely no shame in forgetting a word you’ve already learnt, not being able to read a Kanji you swore you knew, not knowing a word you think you should know at your level…etc. Everyone learns at their own pace! All that matters is that you keep on.

My rules for myself

When I study using light novels, I set a few rules for myself:

• If it takes me more than 3 seconds to read a word, write it down.
• If I have any doubts about a words meaning, write it down.
• If I second guess a Kanji’s reading, write it down.

I then finish the chapter, and look into the meanings and readings for all of the words I wrote down. I then make a little Quizlet for these vocabulary words so I can review them easily. I spend a few days reviewing them, and then read the chapter one more time. If I find any new words that give me grief, I add them to my Quizlet, and continue on reviewing. Once I’m comfortable, I move onto the next chapter.

Here are all of the words I wrote down for this chapter:

The light novel I’m currently reading is called: 死に戻りの魔法学校生活を、元恋人とプロローグから / Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me.

If you want to read along with me, you can check out this light novel for yourself here!

Let’s look at the vocabulary

I will be listing everything in the following format:

• Kanji・reading in hiragana・English translation

Check out my Quizlet set for yourself here!

Ready? Let’s go!

• 石畳・いしだたみ・Stone pavement
• 降り注ぐ・ふりそそぐ・To downpour (rain, or snow)
• 弾む・はずむ・To bounce (hair, when you’re running)
• 嗅ぐ・かぐ・To smell
• 満面・まんめん・Whole face
• 淋しい・さみしい・Lonely
• 宝石・ほうせき・Jewel
• 乾く・かわく・To be dry (your throat)
• 紛れる・まぎれる・To slip away (into a crowd)
• 傍目・おかめ・Bystanders looking on
• 始終・しじゅう・From start to end
• 鈍感・どんかん・Thickheaded
• 跨ぐ・またぐ・To step over (a log)
• 慈悲深い・じひぶかい・Merciful
• 多大な・ただいな・Great number
• 対照的・たいしょうてき・Contrastive
• 恩恵・おんけい・Blessing
• 豊穣な・ほうじょうな・Abundant (harvest)
• 実り・みのり・Crop
• 引率・いんそつ・To guide (students)
• 杖・つえ・A wand
• 枝・えだ・A branch
• 中心・ちゅうしん・Centre
• 根元・ねもと・Base of a plant
• 項垂れる・うなだれる・To hang one’s head
• 地面・じめん・Ground
• 全容・ぜんよう・Full story
• 広大な・こうだいな・Vast
• 希少な・きしょうな・Scarce
• 密集・みっしゅう・Crowding together
• 強大・きょうだい・Mighty
• 蓄える・たくわえる・To store (something)
• 樹皮・じゅひ・Tree bark
• 父母・ふぼ・Parents
• 総称・そうしょう・Generic term
• 顎・あご・Jaw, chin
• 威圧感・いあつかん・Intimidating
• 絹糸・きぬいと・Silk thread
• 佇まい・たたずまい・Appearance
• 躱す・かわす・To evade
• 躍起・やっき・Desperate, frantic
• 候補・こうほ・Candidate
• 拒絶・きょぜつ・Rejection
• 後退・こうたい・Retreat
• 淑女・淑女・Young lady
• 慎み・つつしみ・Modesty
• 点在・てんざい・Scattered about / dotted with
• 憩いの場・いこいのば・A place for relaxation
• 棟・とう・A counter for buildings
• 伝う・つたう・To run along (a tear, down a cheek)
• 鼓舞・こぶ・Encouragement
• 眦・まなじり・Corner of the eye
• 祝福・しゅくふく・Blessing

Honestly, for a full chapter, I think I did pretty good!