For autodidact students of Japanese, "back" is not one word but a family of words. English uses "back" for the rear of something (the back of the room), for the direction behind you (step back), and for return (come back, give it back). Japanese keeps these apart. This lesson teaches 後ろ (ushiro), the noun for the rear and for whatever lies behind: 後ろに犬がいます (ushiro ni inu ga imasu: there is a dog behind), 後ろを見てください (ushiro wo mite kudasai: please look behind you). 後ろ is a noun, and it is used like the other position nouns, 前 (mae: front), 上 (ue: above), 下 (shita: below), 中 (naka: inside) and 隣 (tonari: next to). It stands after の and takes a particle: 車の後ろに (kuruma no ushiro ni: behind the car).
The vocabulary list gives this headword as "back", with the notes "return" and "rear". Japanese has no single adverb that does both jobs. The lesson therefore takes 後ろ for the "rear" half, since that half is a word in its own right, and teaches the "return" half as the verbs around it. A learner should be able to tell them apart from the first day: - 戻る (modoru): to go back to a place, state or subject one has left. 席に戻る (return to one's seat), 元に戻る (return to how it was), 話を戻すと (to go back to what we were saying). Japanese usage guides set it against 帰る: 戻る goes back to where one was before, and 帰る goes to where one belongs. - 帰る (kaeru): to go home, or back to where one belongs. 家に帰る (go home). 席に戻る is natural, and 席に帰る is not. - 戻す (modosu): to put something back. 本を棚に戻す (put the book back on the shelf). - 返す (kaesu): to give something back. 本を返す (return a book to its owner). - 背中 (senaka): the back of the body. 背中が痛い (my back hurts). - 裏 (ura): the back side of a flat thing. 紙の裏 (the back of a sheet of paper). - 後 (ato): "after" in time, or "more, remaining": あと五分 (five more minutes). It is not 後ろ.
The Weblio dictionary entry defines 後ろ as the side opposite the front of a person or thing: it is a place in space. The Kotobank entry for 後 (ato) covers the senses of time and of "remaining," and those belong to the other reading. The same character 後 is also read あと (ato), のち (nochi), ご (go) and こう (kō), so the reading must be learnt with the word.
Key Takeaways: - 後ろ (ushiro): "back, behind, the rear." A noun, never a verb or a particle - 後ろ is a position noun: 車の後ろに (behind the car), with の before it and a particle after it - 後ろに / 後ろで: place. 後ろから: from behind. 後ろへ: toward the back. 後ろを: object of 見る, 向く, 振り返る - 後ろの + noun: 後ろの席 (the back seat), 後ろの人 (the person behind) - 前 (mae) is the opposite: 前も後ろも (front and back) - Compounds: 後ろ姿 (ushirosugata: figure seen from behind), 後ろ盾 (ushirodate: backer, backing), 後ろ髪 (ushirogami: hair at the back), 後ろめたい (ushirometai: feeling guilty), 後ろ向き (ushiromuki: facing backward; negative in attitude) - 後ずさり (atozusari) and 後戻り (atomodori) are written with 後 but are read ato, not ushiro - For "return" use 戻る or 帰る; for "give back" 返す; for the back of the body 背中; for the reverse of a sheet 裏 - 後ろ is never time: "after dinner" is 夕食の後 (yūshoku no ato), never 夕食の後ろ
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
後ろ is written with one kanji, 後, and one hiragana, ろ. The kanji 後 (U+5F8C) means "behind, after, later". The ろ (U+308D) after it is the okurigana, the part of the word that is written in kana, and it is required: the standard spelling is 後ろ, and the bare 後 is read あと, のち, ご or こう, according to the word. Some dictionaries also list 後 alone with the reading うしろ, but in current writing the form with ろ is the one to learn. The word is also written in hiragana, うしろ.
The reading is ushiro, three morae: u-shi-ro. The first vowel is a light u, with the lips not rounded as in English "oo". The sh is the soft Japanese s before i. The r is a quick tap of the tongue, much like the d in the English "ladder". Do not lengthen any vowel: ushiro has no long vowels.
The kanji 後 turns up in words with four different readings, and a learner who meets it should ask which word it is in: - 後ろ (ushiro): behind. 後ろ姿 (ushirosugata), 後ろ盾 (ushirodate), 後ろ髪 (ushirogami) - 後 (ato): after, remaining. 後で (ato de: later), あと五分 (ato gofun: five more minutes), 後戻り (atomodori: going back the way one came), 後ずさり (atozusari: backing away) - 後 (nochi): after, in written style. 雨のち晴れ (ame nochi hare: rain, then clear) - 後 (go, kō): in compounds. 食後 (shokugo: after a meal), 午後 (gogo: afternoon), 後半 (kōhan: the second half)
In compounds some sounds are voiced: 後ろ + 姿 (sugata) is ushirosugata, which keeps the s, but 後ろ + 髪 (kami) is ushirogami, and 後ろ + 盾 (tate) is ushirodate. This change of the first sound of the second element (rendaku) is common in Japanese, but not regular, and it is learnt word by word.
Romanization is Hepburn, as in the rest of the course: は is wa, を is wo, particle へ is e, and the long vowels are marked with macrons (Tōkyō, kyō). The words with kanji that turn up in this lesson are 席 (seki, seat), 車 (kuruma, car), 自転車 (jitensha, bicycle), 教室 (kyōshitsu, classroom), 声 (koe, voice), 人 (hito, person), 全体 (zentai, the whole), 荷物 (nimotsu, luggage), 停留所 (teiryūjo, bus stop), 運転手 (untenshu, driver), 帽子 (bōshi, hat) and 夕日 (yūhi, evening sun). 振り返る (furikaeru, to turn around) contains 返る (kaeru), which is not the same as 帰る (kaeru, to go home): both are read kaeru, and the first is a verb of turning, "to turn back".
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
55.1a 後ろ back です COP.POLITE
55.1b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back desu (dehss) COP.POLITE
55.2a 後ろ back に LOC 犬 dog が SUBJ います exist-POLITE
55.2b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC inu (ee-noo) dog ga (gah) SUBJ imasu (ee-mahss) exist-POLITE
55.3a 後ろ back を OBJ 見て look-TE ください give-me-PLEASE
55.3b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back wo (oh) OBJ mite (mee-teh) look-TE kudasai (koo-dah-sah-ee) give-me-PLEASE
55.4a 後ろ back へ DIR 下がって step-back-TE ください give-me-PLEASE
55.4b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back e (eh) DIR sagatte (sah-gaht-teh) step-back-TE kudasai (koo-dah-sah-ee) give-me-PLEASE
55.5a 後ろ back から from 声 voice が SUBJ 聞こえました be-audible-PAST.POLITE
55.5b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back kara (kah-rah) from koe (koh-eh) voice ga (gah) SUBJ kikoemashita (kee-koh-eh-mahsh-tah) be-audible-PAST.POLITE
55.6a 私 I の GEN 後ろ back に LOC 立って stand-TE いる be-PLAIN 人 person は TOP 誰 who です COP.POLITE か Q
55.6b watashi (wah-tah-shee) I no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC tatte (taht-teh) stand-TE iru (ee-roo) be-PLAIN hito (hee-toh) person wa (wah) TOP dare (dah-reh) who desu (dehss) COP.POLITE ka (kah) Q
55.7a 後ろ back の GEN 席 seat に LOC 座って sit-TE も even-if いい good です COP.POLITE か Q
55.7b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN seki (seh-kee) seat ni (nee) LOC suwatte (soo-waht-teh) sit-TE mo (moh) even-if ii (ee-ee) good desu (dehss) COP.POLITE ka (kah) Q
55.8a 車 car の GEN 後ろ back に LOC 自転車 bicycle を OBJ 置きました put-PAST.POLITE
55.8b kuruma (koo-roo-mah) car no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC jitensha (jee-tehn-shah) bicycle wo (oh) OBJ okimashita (oh-kee-mahsh-tah) put-PAST.POLITE
55.9a 彼 he は TOP 後ろ back を OBJ 向いて face-TE 笑って laugh-TE いました be-PAST.POLITE
55.9b kare (kah-reh) he wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back wo (oh) OBJ muite (moo-ee-teh) face-TE waratte (wah-raht-teh) laugh-TE imashita (ee-mahsh-tah) be-PAST.POLITE
55.10a 教室 classroom の GEN 一番 most 後ろ back に LOC 座る sit-PLAIN の NMLZ が SUBJ 好き liked です COP.POLITE
55.10b kyōshitsu (kyoh-shee-tsoo) classroom no (noh) GEN ichiban (ee-chee-bahn) most ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC suwaru (soo-wah-roo) sit-PLAIN no (noh) NMLZ ga (gah) SUBJ suki (soo-kee) liked desu (dehss) COP.POLITE
55.11a 後ろ back から from 来る come-PLAIN 車 car に DAT 気 attention を OBJ つけて attach-TE ください give-me-PLEASE
55.11b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back kara (kah-rah) from kuru (koo-roo) come-PLAIN kuruma (koo-roo-mah) car ni (nee) DAT ki (kee) attention wo (oh) OBJ tsukete (tsoo-keh-teh) attach-TE kudasai (koo-dah-sah-ee) give-me-PLEASE
55.12a 振り返る turn-around-PLAIN と WHEN 後ろ back に LOC は TOP 誰 who も ANY いませんでした exist-NEG.PAST.POLITE
55.12b furikaeru (foo-ree-kah-eh-roo) turn-around-PLAIN to (toh) WHEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC wa (wah) TOP dare (dah-reh) who mo (moh) ANY imasen deshita (ee-mah-sen dehsh-tah) exist-NEG.PAST.POLITE
55.13a 後ろ back の GEN 人 person に DAT も also 聞こえる be-audible-PLAIN ように so-that 大きな big 声 voice で INST 話して speak-TE ください give-me-PLEASE
55.13b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN hito (hee-toh) person ni (nee) DAT mo (moh) also kikoeru (kee-koh-eh-roo) be-audible-PLAIN yō ni (yoh nee) so-that ōkina (oh-kee-nah) big koe (koh-eh) voice de (deh) INST hanashite (hah-nah-shee-teh) speak-TE kudasai (koo-dah-sah-ee) give-me-PLEASE
55.14a 一歩 one-step 後ろ back へ DIR 下がって step-back-TE 全体 whole を OBJ 見る see-PLAIN と IF よく well わかります understand-POLITE
55.14b ippo (ip-poh) one-step ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back e (eh) DIR sagatte (sah-gaht-teh) step-back-TE zentai (zen-tah-ee) whole wo (oh) OBJ miru (mee-roo) see-PLAIN to (toh) IF yoku (yoh-koo) well wakarimasu (wah-kah-ree-mahss) understand-POLITE
55.15a 彼女 she は TOP 後ろ髪 back-hair を OBJ 引かれる pull-PASS-ATTR 思い feeling で INST 家 house を OBJ 出ました leave-PAST.POLITE
55.15b kanojo (kah-noh-joh) she wa (wah) TOP ushirogami (oo-shee-roh-gah-mee) back-hair wo (oh) OBJ hikareru (hee-kah-reh-roo) pull-PASS-ATTR omoi (oh-moh-ee) feeling de (deh) INST ie (ee-eh) house wo (oh) OBJ demashita (deh-mahsh-tah) leave-PAST.POLITE
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
55.1 後ろです。(Ushiro desu.) "It's behind (you)." 55.2 後ろに犬がいます。(Ushiro ni inu ga imasu.) "There is a dog behind." 55.3 後ろを見てください。(Ushiro wo mite kudasai.) "Please look behind you." 55.4 後ろへ下がってください。(Ushiro e sagatte kudasai.) "Please step back." 55.5 後ろから声が聞こえました。(Ushiro kara koe ga kikoemashita.) "A voice could be heard from behind." 55.6 私の後ろに立っている人は誰ですか。(Watashi no ushiro ni tatte iru hito wa dare desu ka.) "Who is the person standing behind me?" 55.7 後ろの席に座ってもいいですか。(Ushiro no seki ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.) "May I sit in a seat at the back?" 55.8 車の後ろに自転車を置きました。(Kuruma no ushiro ni jitensha wo okimashita.) "I put the bicycle behind the car." 55.9 彼は後ろを向いて笑っていました。(Kare wa ushiro wo muite waratte imashita.) "He had turned round and was laughing." 55.10 教室の一番後ろに座るのが好きです。(Kyōshitsu no ichiban ushiro ni suwaru no ga suki desu.) "I like sitting at the very back of the classroom." 55.11 後ろから来る車に気をつけてください。(Ushiro kara kuru kuruma ni ki wo tsukete kudasai.) "Please watch out for cars coming from behind." 55.12 振り返ると、後ろには誰もいませんでした。(Furikaeru to, ushiro ni wa dare mo imasen deshita.) "When I turned around, there was no one behind me." 55.13 後ろの人にも聞こえるように、大きな声で話してください。(Ushiro no hito ni mo kikoeru yō ni, ōkina koe de hanashite kudasai.) "Please speak in a loud voice so that the people at the back can hear too." 55.14 一歩後ろへ下がって全体を見ると、よくわかります。(Ippo ushiro e sagatte zentai wo miru to, yoku wakarimasu.) "If you step back one pace and look at the whole, you understand it well." 55.15 彼女は後ろ髪を引かれる思いで、家を出ました。(Kanojo wa ushirogami wo hikareru omoi de, ie wo demashita.) "She left the house reluctantly, as if something were pulling at her hair from behind."
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
55.1 後ろです。 55.2 後ろに犬がいます。 55.3 後ろを見てください。 55.4 後ろへ下がってください。 55.5 後ろから声が聞こえました。 55.6 私の後ろに立っている人は誰ですか。 55.7 後ろの席に座ってもいいですか。 55.8 車の後ろに自転車を置きました。 55.9 彼は後ろを向いて笑っていました。 55.10 教室の一番後ろに座るのが好きです。 55.11 後ろから来る車に気をつけてください。 55.12 振り返ると、後ろには誰もいませんでした。 55.13 後ろの人にも聞こえるように、大きな声で話してください。 55.14 一歩後ろへ下がって全体を見ると、よくわかります。 55.15 彼女は後ろ髪を引かれる思いで、家を出ました。
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
These are the grammar rules for 後ろ (ushiro), "back, behind."
The form of 後ろ. It is a noun and has no forms: it does not conjugate and has no plural. Everything in this section is about the words that stand before it and after it. Before it comes の, joining it to the thing that is in front: 車の後ろ (55.8), 私の後ろ (55.6), 教室の後ろ. After it come the particles that say what the position is doing in the sentence.
Place: 後ろに and 後ろで (55.2, 55.6, 55.8, 55.10, 55.12). に is the particle of where something is, stands or is put: 後ろに犬がいます (55.2), 車の後ろに自転車を置きました (55.8). Where an action takes place at the back, the particle is で: 後ろで待つ, "to wait at the back" (it is the で of the Genre Section, 55.28). In 55.12, 後ろには誰もいませんでした, the は after に makes the back the topic, and 誰も…ません is the "nobody" of Lesson 54.
Direction: 後ろへ and 後ろに (55.4, 55.14). へ marks movement toward the rear: 後ろへ下がってください, "please step back." 下がる is the verb of moving back, away from the front, and it is the one that goes with 後ろへ. Direction can also be said with に (後ろに下がる), and the two are interchangeable here; へ puts the stress on the direction.
Source: 後ろから (55.5, 55.11). から is "from": 後ろから声が聞こえました (55.5), 後ろから来る車 (55.11), "a car coming from behind." In 55.11 来る車 is a relative clause: the verb in its plain form stands directly before the noun it describes.
Object: 後ろを (55.3, 55.9). 後ろ takes を with verbs of looking and turning: 後ろを見る (look behind), 後ろを向く (turn to face the back, to turn round), 後ろを振り返る (turn the head and look behind). In 55.9 the participle 向いて joins 後ろを向く to 笑っていました, "was laughing, having turned." 後ろを振り返らずに in 55.22 is the negative continuative, which Lesson 54 introduced with 持たずに: "without looking back."
後ろの + noun (55.7, 55.13). Where 後ろ describes a noun, it takes の: 後ろの席 (the seat at the back), 後ろの人 (the person behind), 後ろのドア (the rear door). 55.13 has 後ろの人にも, with に + も in the order Lesson 54 gave: the particle first, then も.
Superlative: 一番後ろ (55.10). 一番 (ichiban, number one) before a position noun makes it the extreme: 一番後ろ, "the very back." 後ろから二番目 (55.16) is "second from the back": counting is done from the position, with から.
The sentence patterns around 後ろ. 座ってもいいですか (55.7) is the te-form + も + いい + ですか, "may I...?": permission is asked by saying "even if I sit, is it good?" 立っている人 (55.6) is a relative clause, with the plain verb before 人: "the person who is standing." 座るのが好きです (55.10) turns the verb into a noun with の, so that it can take が: "sitting is liked." 聞こえるように (55.13) is "so that it can be heard," ように after a plain verb for a purpose. 見ると (55.14) is the condition と, "if/when you look, then..." And 振り返ると (55.12) is と of discovery: "when I turned around, there was...".
Pairs with 前. 前 (mae) is the opposite, and the pair is joined with と or with も: 前と後ろ, 前も後ろも, "front and back" and (with a negative) "neither front nor back." 前後 (zengo) is the written word for "before and behind," and also for "approximately" after a number.
The compounds are words of their own, and the reading changes as they are made: - 後ろ姿 (ushirosugata): the figure of a person seen from behind. 友達の後ろ姿 (a friend's back as he walks away) - 後ろ盾 (ushirodate): a backer, someone behind you who shields you; also the backing itself. 会社が後ろ盾になる (the company will stand behind us) - 後ろ髪 (ushirogami): the hair at the back. 後ろ髪を引かれる (55.15) is the fixed phrase for feeling reluctant to leave: the feeling is like a hand pulling at the hair, holding one back. 引かれる is the passive of 引く (to pull), and the object を stays, as in the phrase 手を引かれる (to be led by the hand). - 後ろめたい (ushirometai): feeling guilty; having a bad conscience. 後ろめたい気持ち (a guilty feeling). It is an adjective in い and conjugates as one: 後ろめたかった, 後ろめたくない. - 後ろ向き (ushiromuki): facing backward; and in speech, a negative, backward-looking attitude. Its opposite is 前向き (maemuki: facing forward; positive, forward-looking): 前向きに考える, "to think positively."
The words with 後 that are not 後ろ. 後ずさり (atozusari) is to back away a step at a time while still facing the front, from fear or caution; 後戻り (atomodori) is to go back along the way one has come. Both are written with 後 and read ato, not ushiro. A learner should not read them as ushirozusari or ushiromodori.
Contrast with the neighbours. - Use 後ろ for a place behind, and 後 (あと, のち) for time: 後ろの席 is the seat at the back, 食事の後 is the time after the meal. - Use 背中 (senaka) for the back of the body: 背中が痛いです, "my back hurts." - Use 裏 (ura) for the reverse side of a flat thing, such as paper, a coin or a card: 紙の裏. 裏口 (uraguchi) is a back door. - Use 戻る (modoru) or 帰る (kaeru) for "come back" and "go back": すぐ戻ります, "I'll be right back." 家に帰ります, "I'm going home." Use 返す (kaesu) for "give back" and 戻す (modosu) for "put back." - Use 後ろ向き (ushiromuki) for "facing backward," and the verb 後退する (kōtai suru) for "retreat, go backward" in written and technical Japanese.
Common Mistakes: - Leaving out の: \私後ろに, \車後ろに are wrong. Write 私の後ろに, 車の後ろに. - Using 後ろ for time. \*夕食の後ろに is wrong if you mean "after dinner." Write 夕食の後に or 夕食のあとで. - Using 後ろ for "back" in "come back." \*家に後ろる is not Japanese. Write 家に帰る or 席に戻る. - Using 後ろ for the back of the body. \*後ろが痛いです is wrong when you mean your own back. Write 背中が痛いです. - Using 後ろ for the back of a sheet of paper. \*紙の後ろ is wrong. Write 紙の裏. - Confusing に and で. 後ろに立つ (stand at the back) puts a person in a place, and 後ろで待つ (wait at the back) puts an action in a place. Both are right, with different verbs. - Reading 後ずさり as ushirozusari, or 後ろ as ato. Check which word the 後 is in. - Writing 後 without the ろ when you mean "behind." The bare 後 will be read ato by most readers. Write 後ろ. - Translating "behind" in "behind schedule" with 後ろ. That is 遅れている (okurete iru), "is late."
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
後ろ is a plain, everyday word, and it is among the first position nouns that a learner needs: in the classroom, on the street and in the bus. It is heard in requests: 後ろの人にも聞こえるように (55.13) is the teacher's, the lecturer's and the guide's request for a voice that will carry, and 後ろを見てください, 後ろへ下がってください (55.3, 55.4) are what one says to ask people to look round or to move back.
The word has a good many figurative uses. 後ろ姿 is simply the figure of a person seen from behind, as the dictionaries define it, and in writing it can carry a good deal of feeling: the friend who is walking away is seen from behind. 後ろ盾 is the person or group that stands behind someone with money or influence. 後ろめたい is the feeling that comes when you know that someone could see what you have done. 後ろ髪を引かれる (55.15) is the feeling at the door when you do not want to leave. And 後ろ向き, 前向き are the everyday words for a negative and a positive attitude, as in 前向きに検討します, "I shall consider it favourably."
The children's game of Section F makes the word physical. In かごめかごめ the child in the middle is blindfolded, the others circle, and at the end of the song the child must say who is standing directly behind. That is a 後ろの正面 (ushiro no shōmen), the "front of the back," and it is one of the best-known uses of the word in Japan.
Register: 後ろ is neutral and belongs to every level of speech and writing. In more formal and technical writing, 後方 (kōhō, the rear), 後部 (kōbu, the rear part) and 後部座席 (kōbu zaseki, the rear seat of a car) are used for the same ideas.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
わらべうた (traditional children's song), 「かごめかごめ」 (Kagome kagome), the song in full
かごめかごめ籠の中の鳥はいついつ出やる夜明けの晩に鶴と亀と滑った後ろの正面だあれ
「かごめかごめ」 is a traditional game song, with no known author, and it belongs to the public domain. It is sung by children who join hands in a ring around a child sitting blindfolded in the middle. The earliest text that has been reported is in the miscellany 竹堂随筆 (Chikudō zuihitsu), of about 1820, in a form with a different ending (つるつるつっぺぇつた), and the song has been changed over time. The wording here is the form given first in the Japanese Wikipedia article, and the lyric pages that were checked agree with it. In some versions it is 鶴と亀が滑った (with が), and in some 鶴と亀が統べた; the variants are noted in F-D. The song is chosen because its last line is the very expression of this lesson's word: 後ろの正面, with 後ろ + の, as in 55.7 and 55.13.
F-A: Interlinear
F.1a かごめ kagome かごめ kagome
F.1b kagome (kah-goh-meh) kagome kagome (kah-goh-meh) kagome
F.2a 籠 basket の GEN 中 inside の GEN 鳥 bird は TOP
F.2b kago (kah-goh) basket no (noh) GEN naka (nah-kah) inside no (noh) GEN tori (toh-ree) bird wa (wah) TOP
F.3a いついつ when-when 出やる come-out-COLLOQ
F.3b itsuitsu (ee-tsoo-ee-tsoo) when-when deyaru (deh-yah-roo) come-out-COLLOQ
F.4a 夜明け dawn の GEN 晩 evening に at
F.4b yoake (yoh-ah-keh) dawn no (noh) GEN ban (bahn) evening ni (nee) at
F.5a 鶴 crane と and 亀 tortoise と and 滑った slip-PAST
F.5b tsuru (tsoo-roo) crane to (toh) and kame (kah-meh) tortoise to (toh) and subetta (soo-beht-tah) slip-PAST
F.6a 後ろ back の GEN 正面 front だあれ who-DRAWN-OUT
F.6b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN shōmen (shoh-men) front dāre (dah-ah-reh) who-DRAWN-OUT
F-B: Original and Translation
かごめかごめ 籠の中の鳥は いついつ出やる 夜明けの晩に 鶴と亀と滑った 後ろの正面だあれ
"Kagome, kagome. / The bird in the basket, / when, oh when, will it come out? / In the evening of the dawn, / the crane and the tortoise slipped. / Who is directly behind you?" (Translation: Latinum Institute. The last line is, word for word, "the front of the back, who?")
F-C: Original
かごめかごめ 籠の中の鳥は いついつ出やる 夜明けの晩に 鶴と亀と滑った 後ろの正面だあれ
F-D: Grammar and Literary Commentary
The last line is the one that matters here: 後ろの正面だあれ. 後ろ + の + 正面 is the pattern of 後ろの席 (55.7) and 後ろの人 (55.13): the noun 後ろ, の, and the noun it describes. 正面 (shōmen) is "the front, the face-on side," so that the line puts together two opposites, "the front of the back." The riddle is the point. In the game the child in the middle cannot see, and what there is to guess is who is standing exactly behind that child. The answer to 後ろの正面だあれ is a name. だあれ is だれ (誰) drawn out for the song: the long あ is the singer's, and the standard word is 誰 (dare, who), as in 55.6 and 55.12.
The first line, かごめかごめ, is the call that opens the ring. The meaning of かごめ is uncertain; one common reading is 籠目, "the eyes of a basket", from the shape of its weave, but the song is old enough that no explanation is certain. The next two lines are built on the particle の and the verb 出る: 籠の中の鳥, "the bird in the basket," uses two の in a row (the first marks place, the second joins 中 to 鳥). 出やる is understood as an old colloquial form of 出る, "to come out"; the line asks "when, oh when, will it come out?"
夜明けの晩 is a paradox: 夜明け is dawn and 晩 is evening, and the phrase is "the evening of the dawn." Many readings of this have been proposed, and none is certain. In 鶴と亀と滑った, 滑った is the past tense of 滑る, "to slip, slide," and the crane (鶴) and the tortoise (亀) are the ones who slipped. Many sources have 鶴と亀が滑った, with が, where the pair is plainly the subject; the sense intended is the same. Another version has 統べた (subeta, "governed") for 滑った (subetta, "slipped"). The two sound alike, and both are reported.
The rest of the song is outside this lesson. The final line, though, is the use of the word that matters: to ask who is at your 後ろ is to ask about the one place a person cannot see, and the same pull is in 振り返る (55.12), the turning round to look.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Kenta and Hanako come down from their mountain on the evening bus. The narrative uses the plain written style (the dictionary form and the plain past), as Japanese stories do. Every sentence has 後ろ.
55.16a バス bus は TOP 混んで be-crowded-TE いて be-TE 二人 two-people は TOP 後ろ back から from 二番目 second の GEN 席 seat に LOC やっと finally 座った sit-PAST
55.16b basu (bah-soo) bus wa (wah) TOP konde (kohn-deh) be-crowded-TE ite (ee-teh) be-TE futari (foo-tah-ree) two-people wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back kara (kah-rah) from nibanme (nee-bahn-meh) second no (noh) GEN seki (seh-kee) seat ni (nee) LOC yatto (yaht-toh) finally suwatta (soo-waht-tah) sit-PAST
55.17a 一番 most 後ろ back の GEN 席 seat で LOC は TOP 小さな small 子ども child が SUBJ 母親 mother の GEN 肩 shoulder に LOC もたれて lean-TE 眠って sleep-TE いた be-PAST
55.17b ichiban (ee-chee-bahn) most ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN seki (seh-kee) seat de (deh) LOC wa (wah) TOP chiisana (chee-ee-sah-nah) small kodomo (koh-doh-moh) child ga (gah) SUBJ hahaoya (hah-hah-oh-yah) mother no (noh) GEN kata (kah-tah) shoulder ni (nee) LOC motarete (moh-tah-reh-teh) lean-TE nemutte (neh-moot-teh) sleep-TE ita (ee-tah) be-PAST
55.18a 花子 Hanako は TOP 座席 seat の GEN 後ろ back を OBJ 手 hand で INST 探って feel-for-TE あっ oh 傘 umbrella が SUBJ ない not-exist と QUOT 言った say-PAST
55.18b Hanako (hah-nah-koh) Hanako wa (wah) TOP zaseki (zah-seh-kee) seat no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back wo (oh) OBJ te (teh) hand de (deh) INST sagutte (sah-goot-teh) feel-for-TE a (ah) oh kasa (kah-sah) umbrella ga (gah) SUBJ nai (nah-ee) not-exist to (toh) QUOT itta (eet-tah) say-PAST
55.19a 健太 Kenta も also 自分 self の GEN 後ろ back の GEN 荷物 luggage を OBJ 見た look-PAST が but 傘 umbrella は TOP なかった not-exist-PAST
55.19b Kenta (kehn-tah) Kenta mo (moh) also jibun (jee-bun) self no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN nimotsu (nee-moh-tsoo) luggage wo (oh) OBJ mita (mee-tah) look-PAST ga (gah) but kasa (kah-sah) umbrella wa (wah) TOP nakatta (nah-kaht-tah) not-exist-PAST
55.20a 山 mountain の GEN 入口 entrance の GEN ベンチ bench の GEN 後ろ back に LOC 置いた put-PAST かもしれない MAYBE と QUOT 花子 Hanako は TOP 言った say-PAST
55.20b yama (yah-mah) mountain no (noh) GEN iriguchi (ee-ree-goo-chee) entrance no (noh) GEN benchi (behn-chee) bench no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC oita (oh-ee-tah) put-PAST kamoshirenai (kah-moh-shee-reh-nah-ee) MAYBE to (toh) QUOT Hanako (hah-nah-koh) Hanako wa (wah) TOP itta (eet-tah) say-PAST
55.21a 次 next の GEN 停留所 bus-stop で LOC 二人 two-people は TOP 後ろ back の GEN ドア door から from 急いで hurry-TE 降りた get-off-PAST
55.21b tsugi (tsoo-gee) next no (noh) GEN teiryūjo (teh-ee-ryoo-joh) bus-stop de (deh) LOC futari (foo-tah-ree) two-people wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN doa (doh-ah) door kara (kah-rah) from isoide (ee-soh-ee-deh) hurry-TE orita (oh-ree-tah) get-off-PAST
55.22a 後ろ back を OBJ 振り返らず turn-around-NEG.CONT に ADV 二人 two-people は TOP 反対側 opposite-side の GEN バス停 bus-stop へ DIR 走った run-PAST
55.22b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back wo (oh) OBJ furikaerazu (foo-ree-kah-eh-rah-zoo) turn-around-NEG.CONT ni (nee) ADV futari (foo-tah-ree) two-people wa (wah) TOP hantaigawa (hahn-tah-ee-gah-wah) opposite-side no (noh) GEN basutei (bah-soo-teh-ee) bus-stop e (eh) DIR hashitta (hah-shit-tah) run-PAST
55.23a 山 mountain へ DIR 戻る return-PLAIN バス bus を OBJ 待つ wait-PLAIN 間 while 健太 Kenta は TOP 後ろ back の GEN ポケット pocket から from 地図 map を OBJ 出した take-out-PAST
55.23b yama (yah-mah) mountain e (eh) DIR modoru (moh-doh-roo) return-PLAIN basu (bah-soo) bus wo (oh) OBJ matsu (mah-tsoo) wait-PLAIN aida (ah-ee-dah) while Kenta (kehn-tah) Kenta wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN poketto (poh-keht-toh) pocket kara (kah-rah) from chizu (chee-zoo) map wo (oh) OBJ dashita (dah-shee-tah) take-out-PAST
55.24a 後ろ back から from 来た come-PAST 風 wind に BY 花子 Hanako の GEN 帽子 hat が SUBJ 飛ばされた blow-away-PASS-PAST
55.24b ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back kara (kah-rah) from kita (kee-tah) come-PAST kaze (kah-zeh) wind ni (nee) BY Hanako (hah-nah-koh) Hanako no (noh) GEN bōshi (boh-shee) hat ga (gah) SUBJ tobasareta (toh-bah-sah-reh-tah) blow-away-PASS-PAST
55.25a 健太 Kenta は TOP 後ろ back へ DIR 走って run-TE 帽子 hat を OBJ 取り戻した take-back-PAST
55.25b Kenta (kehn-tah) Kenta wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back e (eh) DIR hashitte (hah-shit-teh) run-TE bōshi (boh-shee) hat wo (oh) OBJ torimodoshita (toh-ree-moh-doh-shee-tah) take-back-PAST
55.26a バス bus が SUBJ 来る come-PLAIN と WHEN 二人 two-people は TOP 一番 most 後ろ back の GEN 席 seat に LOC 並んで line-up-TE 座った sit-PAST
55.26b basu (bah-soo) bus ga (gah) SUBJ kuru (koo-roo) come-PLAIN to (toh) WHEN futari (foo-tah-ree) two-people wa (wah) TOP ichiban (ee-chee-bahn) most ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN seki (seh-kee) seat ni (nee) LOC narande (nah-rahn-deh) line-up-TE suwatta (soo-waht-tah) sit-PAST
55.27a 山 mountain の GEN 入口 entrance に LOC 着く arrive-PLAIN と WHEN ベンチ bench の GEN 後ろ back に LOC 青い blue 傘 umbrella が SUBJ 立てかけて lean-TE あった exist-PAST
55.27b yama (yah-mah) mountain no (noh) GEN iriguchi (ee-ree-goo-chee) entrance ni (nee) LOC tsuku (tsoo-koo) arrive-PLAIN to (toh) WHEN benchi (behn-chee) bench no (noh) GEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back ni (nee) LOC aoi (ah-oh-ee) blue kasa (kah-sah) umbrella ga (gah) SUBJ tatekakete (tah-teh-kah-keh-teh) lean-TE atta (aht-tah) exist-PAST
55.28a 花子 Hanako は TOP 傘 umbrella を OBJ 取る take-PLAIN と WHEN 後ろ back で LOC 待って wait-TE いた be-PAST 運転手 driver に DAT 頭 head を OBJ 下げた lower-PAST
55.28b Hanako (hah-nah-koh) Hanako wa (wah) TOP kasa (kah-sah) umbrella wo (oh) OBJ toru (toh-roo) take-PLAIN to (toh) WHEN ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back de (deh) LOC matte (maht-teh) wait-TE ita (ee-tah) be-PAST untenshu (oon-tehn-shoo) driver ni (nee) DAT atama (ah-tah-mah) head wo (oh) OBJ sageta (sah-geh-tah) lower-PAST
55.29a 今度 next-time は TOP 後ろ back の GEN 席 seat に LOC 傘 umbrella を OBJ 忘れ forget-STEM ないで NEG-TE ね FP と QUOT 健太 Kenta が SUBJ 言う say-PLAIN と WHEN 花子 Hanako は TOP 笑って laugh-TE うなずいた nod-PAST
55.29b kondo (kohn-doh) next-time wa (wah) TOP ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back no (noh) GEN seki (seh-kee) seat ni (nee) LOC kasa (kah-sah) umbrella wo (oh) OBJ wasure (wah-soo-reh) forget-STEM naide (nah-ee-deh) NEG-TE ne (neh) FP to (toh) QUOT Kenta (kehn-tah) Kenta ga (gah) SUBJ iu (ee-oo) say-PLAIN to (toh) WHEN Hanako (hah-nah-koh) Hanako wa (wah) TOP waratte (wah-raht-teh) laugh-TE unazuita (oo-nah-zoo-ee-tah) nod-PAST
55.30a 山 mountain は TOP だんだん gradually 後ろ back へ DIR 遠ざかり recede-STEM 夕日 evening-sun が SUBJ 空 sky を OBJ 赤く red-ADV 染めて dye-TE いた be-PAST
55.30b yama (yah-mah) mountain wa (wah) TOP dandan (dahn-dahn) gradually ushiro (oo-shee-roh) back e (eh) DIR tōzakari (toh-zah-kah-ree) recede-STEM yūhi (yoo-hee) evening-sun ga (gah) SUBJ sora (soh-rah) sky wo (oh) OBJ akaku (ah-kah-koo) red-ADV somete (soh-meh-teh) dye-TE ita (ee-tah) be-PAST
55.16 バスは混んでいて、二人は後ろから二番目の席にやっと座った。(Basu wa konde ite, futari wa ushiro kara nibanme no seki ni yatto suwatta.) "The bus was crowded, and the two of them finally sat in the second seat from the back." 55.17 一番後ろの席では、小さな子どもが母親の肩にもたれて眠っていた。(Ichiban ushiro no seki de wa, chiisana kodomo ga hahaoya no kata ni motarete nemutte ita.) "In the very back seat a small child was asleep, leaning on its mother's shoulder." 55.18 花子は座席の後ろを手で探って、「あっ、傘がない」と言った。(Hanako wa zaseki no ushiro wo te de sagutte, "a, kasa ga nai" to itta.) "Hanako felt about behind the seat with her hand and said, 'Oh, the umbrella's gone.'" 55.19 健太も自分の後ろの荷物を見たが、傘はなかった。(Kenta mo jibun no ushiro no nimotsu wo mita ga, kasa wa nakatta.) "Kenta looked at the luggage behind him too, but the umbrella was not there." 55.20 「山の入口のベンチの後ろに置いたかもしれない」と花子は言った。("Yama no iriguchi no benchi no ushiro ni oita kamoshirenai" to Hanako wa itta.) "'I may have left it behind the bench at the mountain entrance,' said Hanako." 55.21 次の停留所で、二人は後ろのドアから急いで降りた。(Tsugi no teiryūjo de, futari wa ushiro no doa kara isoide orita.) "At the next stop, the two of them hurried off through the rear door." 55.22 後ろを振り返らずに、二人は反対側のバス停へ走った。(Ushiro wo furikaerazu ni, futari wa hantaigawa no basutei e hashitta.) "Without looking back, the two of them ran to the bus stop on the opposite side." 55.23 山へ戻るバスを待つ間、健太は後ろのポケットから地図を出した。(Yama e modoru basu wo matsu aida, Kenta wa ushiro no poketto kara chizu wo dashita.) "While waiting for the bus back to the mountain, Kenta took a map out of his back pocket." 55.24 後ろから来た風に、花子の帽子が飛ばされた。(Ushiro kara kita kaze ni, Hanako no bōshi ga tobasareta.) "Hanako's hat was blown away by a wind that came from behind." 55.25 健太は後ろへ走って、帽子を取り戻した。(Kenta wa ushiro e hashitte, bōshi wo torimodoshita.) "Kenta ran back and got the hat back." 55.26 バスが来ると、二人は一番後ろの席に並んで座った。(Basu ga kuru to, futari wa ichiban ushiro no seki ni narande suwatta.) "When the bus came, the two of them sat side by side in the very back seat." 55.27 山の入口に着くと、ベンチの後ろに青い傘が立てかけてあった。(Yama no iriguchi ni tsuku to, benchi no ushiro ni aoi kasa ga tatekakete atta.) "When they reached the mountain entrance, a blue umbrella was propped up behind the bench." 55.28 花子は傘を取ると、後ろで待っていた運転手に頭を下げた。(Hanako wa kasa wo toru to, ushiro de matte ita untenshu ni atama wo sageta.) "Taking the umbrella, Hanako bowed to the driver, who had been waiting behind her." 55.29 「今度は後ろの席に傘を忘れないでね」と健太が言うと、花子は笑ってうなずいた。("Kondo wa ushiro no seki ni kasa wo wasurenaide ne" to Kenta ga iu to, Hanako wa waratte unazuita.) "When Kenta said, 'This time, don't leave the umbrella in the back seat,' Hanako laughed and nodded." 55.30 山はだんだん後ろへ遠ざかり、夕日が空を赤く染めていた。(Yama wa dandan ushiro e tōzakari, yūhi ga sora wo akaku somete ita.) "The mountain slowly dropped away behind them, and the setting sun was dyeing the sky red."
55.16 バスは混んでいて、二人は後ろから二番目の席にやっと座った。 55.17 一番後ろの席では、小さな子どもが母親の肩にもたれて眠っていた。 55.18 花子は座席の後ろを手で探って、「あっ、傘がない」と言った。 55.19 健太も自分の後ろの荷物を見たが、傘はなかった。 55.20 「山の入口のベンチの後ろに置いたかもしれない」と花子は言った。 55.21 次の停留所で、二人は後ろのドアから急いで降りた。 55.22 後ろを振り返らずに、二人は反対側のバス停へ走った。 55.23 山へ戻るバスを待つ間、健太は後ろのポケットから地図を出した。 55.24 後ろから来た風に、花子の帽子が飛ばされた。 55.25 健太は後ろへ走って、帽子を取り戻した。 55.26 バスが来ると、二人は一番後ろの席に並んで座った。 55.27 山の入口に着くと、ベンチの後ろに青い傘が立てかけてあった。 55.28 花子は傘を取ると、後ろで待っていた運転手に頭を下げた。 55.29 「今度は後ろの席に傘を忘れないでね」と健太が言うと、花子は笑ってうなずいた。 55.30 山はだんだん後ろへ遠ざかり、夕日が空を赤く染めていた。
後ろから二番目 (55.16). The place is counted from the back: 後ろ + から + 二番目, "second from the back." 二番目 is the number 二 + the counter 番 + 目, which makes an ordinal. 混んでいて is 混む (to be crowded) in the te-form + いる, and the te-form joins the clause to the next one. やっと is "at last, finally," after some effort.
一番後ろの席では (55.17). で marks where the action happens, and は makes the back seat the topic of the sentence: "as for the back seat..." 母親の肩にもたれて is もたれる (to lean on) with に for the thing leaned on, in the te-form, and 眠っていた is the state of sleep that goes on.
座席の後ろを手で探って (55.18). 探る (to feel about for) takes the place as object: 後ろを探る, "to feel about behind." で marks the instrument, the hand. The speech is closed with と and 言った; the interjection あっ (oh) and the sentence ない (the umbrella is not there) sit in the quotation.
自分の後ろ (55.19). 自分 (jibun) is "oneself," here Kenta: "behind himself." 見たが… is the contrast ("looked, but..."); the は of 傘は makes the umbrella the topic of the negative.
ベンチの後ろに置いた (55.20). The chain of の is read from the right: 後ろ is behind the bench, the bench is at the entrance, and the entrance is of the mountain. 置いたかもしれない is "may have put": かもしれない follows the plain past to say "perhaps." The words are Hanako's own, and they are shut in と.
後ろのドアから降りた (55.21). 降りる (to get off, to get down) takes the place left with から (or を): the door they got off through. 急いで is the te-form of 急ぐ (to hurry), used here like an adverb: "in a hurry."
後ろを振り返らずに (55.22). 振り返らず is the negative continuative of 振り返る, the written form of 振り返らないで. The に closes it, as in 持たずに in Lesson 54. 反対側 is "the opposite side."
山へ戻る (55.23). 戻る (modoru) is the verb of returning to a place one has left, here the mountain, with へ for the destination. 戻る is in the plain form before バス, a relative clause: "the bus that returns to the mountain." 待つ間 is "during the waiting," with 間 (aida) for the time that a state lasts.
風に飛ばされた (55.24). 飛ばされる is the passive of 飛ばす (to make fly, to blow away), and the agent of the passive is marked with に: 風に, "by the wind." 後ろから来た風 is the relative clause with 来た.
取り戻した (55.25). 取り戻す (torimodosu) is 取る (to take) + 戻す (modosu, to put back, to return something): "to take back, to recover." It is a transitive compound, and it takes を: 帽子を取り戻した. 後ろへ走って is "ran to the rear," the place behind them where the hat had fallen.
バスが来ると (55.26). と after a plain verb is "when, as soon as": it is the と of 食べ終わると in Lesson 54. 並んで is the te-form of 並ぶ (to line up, to be side by side).
立てかけてあった (55.27). 立てかける is "to prop against something." The te-form + ある shows the state that remains from someone's action, as 書いてあった did in Lesson 54: "had been propped up." The thing that stays takes が: 傘が. 着くと is, again, と for "when."
後ろで待っていた運転手 (55.28). で marks where the waiting took place (see Section D), and 待っていた is the past of 待っている. The relative clause stands before 運転手. 頭を下げる (to lower the head) is "to bow."
忘れないでね (55.29). 忘れないで is the negative te-form, "don't forget," and ね is the sentence-final particle that asks for agreement. The place where it is forgotten is marked with に: 席に傘を忘れる, "to leave an umbrella on a seat."
遠ざかり (55.30). 遠ざかる is "to go far off, to grow distant." The stem 遠ざかり joins the clause to the next, as a written te-form does. 後ろへ here is the place the mountain moves to as the bus carries them away. 染めていた is the state of the sky being dyed by the sunset, 染める (to dye) in the te-form + いた.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
Japanese has pitch accent, not stress: each word has a pattern of high and low pitch, and the respellings in this lesson give every syllable the same weight. For the pitch pattern of each word, check an accent dictionary such as the NHK 日本語発音アクセント新辞典 as you learn.
後ろ (ushiro) — IPA: /ɯ.ɕi.ɾo/ — Three morae. The u is light and unrounded. The sh is soft, with the tongue flat. The r is a quick tap, like the d in "ladder." No long vowel. 後 (ato) — IPA: /a.to/ — A different word. Compare 後ろ (ushiro, behind) with 後 (ato, after). 後ずさり (atozusari) — IPA: /a.to.zɯ.sa.ɾi/ — Read ato, not ushiro. 後戻り (atomodori) — IPA: /a.to.mo.do.ɾi/ — Read ato, not ushiro. 後ろ姿 (ushirosugata) — IPA: /ɯ.ɕi.ɾo.sɯ.ɡa.ta/ — The g of sugata is the voiced g of the second element of a compound. 後ろ髪 (ushirogami) — IPA: /ɯ.ɕi.ɾo.ɡa.mi/ — kami becomes gami in the compound. 後ろ盾 (ushirodate) — IPA: /ɯ.ɕi.ɾo.da.te/ — tate becomes date in the compound. 後ろめたい (ushirometai) — IPA: /ɯ.ɕi.ɾo.me.ta.i/ — Six morae, each of the same length. 戻る (modoru) — IPA: /mo.do.ɾɯ/ — Compare 帰る (kaeru) — /ka.e.ɾɯ/ — the word for going home. 背中 (senaka) — IPA: /se.na.ka/ — The back of the body. 裏 (ura) — IPA: /ɯ.ɾa/ — The reverse side. 停留所 (teiryūjo) — IPA: /teː.ɾjɯː.dʑo/ — The ei is a long e, and the yū is a long u. 運転手 (untenshu) — IPA: /ɯɴ.teɴ.ɕɯ/ — Both n's are the moraic n. 座席 (zaseki) — IPA: /za.se.ki/. 荷物 (nimotsu) — IPA: /ni.mo.tsɯ/ — The ts is one sound, as at the end of English "cats." 帽子 (bōshi) — IPA: /boː.ɕi/ — The ō is long. 夕日 (yūhi) — IPA: /jɯː.çi/ — The yū is long, and the h before i is a soft hush. 遠ざかる (tōzakaru) — IPA: /toː.za.ka.ɾɯ/ — The ō is long. かごめ (kagome) — IPA: /ka.ɡo.me/. だあれ (dāre) — IPA: /da.a.ɾe/ — The a is drawn out in the song, as the singer holds it.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
---
Course Index: [latinum.substack.com/p/index](https://latinum.substack.com/p/index)