Japanese Lessons: Learn Japanese Native Expressions with Manga 1-2-1

Manga: Give My Regards to Black Jack 1-1-1

Japanese Lessons 1-2-1 ウナギとゴッドハンド / Eels and Godhands

*These Japanese lessons are created based on the Terms of Use of the Copyrights of them; TITLE: Give My Regards to Black Jack, AUTHOR: Shuho Sato, and WEBSITE: Manga on Web.

A scene in Give My Regards to Black Jack

You can browse all of the pages by clicking the picture above and then move to any page via 「目もく次じ」 at the left. When you need English translations or explanations, please return here and refer them. This article covers from page 61 to page 84.

Japanese Script with English Translation

医い者しゃって一体いったいなんだ…?あの夜よるから一週間いっしゅうかん、答こたえは出でないままだ…。

What does it mean to be a doctor…? It’s been a week since that night...and I still don’t have an answer...

「只今ただいま留守るすにしております。ご用ようのある方かたはピーッという発信音はっしんおんのあとにメッセージをどうぞ。」「えー牛うし田だです。院いん長ちょうがまた斉藤さいとうくんに当とう直ちょくのバイトを頼たのめないかと申もうしておりまして-*、留守るす電でんに気きづいたら連絡れんらくを下ください。またこちらからも連絡れんらくします。」

“I’m not home right now. Please leave a message after the beep.” “Uh… This is Ushida from Seido Hospital. The director was saying that he’d like to have you back on shift if you’re up for it...When you get this message, please give me a call. And I’ll call back again later too.” One Point Lesson: Japanese Grammar This is a humble form, which is used when you express your inferiority to others. In Japan, people generally consider outsiders as superior. In this case, Mr. Ushida considers Mr. Saito as an outsider because he quit Seido hospital and uses the humble form even to an intern.

一いっ週しゅう間前かんまえ、僕ぼくは当とう直ちょくのバイト先さきの病びょう院いんで、ひん死しの患者かんじゃを目めの前まえに逃にげ出だした…。あの時とき、院いん長ちょうが来こなければ患者かんじゃは確実かくじつに死しんでいた…。「ほっといても死しぬ、どうせ死しぬなら腹はらを開あけろ。」僕ぼくはいまだにここから動うごけずにいる…。「このまま田い舎なかに帰かえりてエエエエエ*!」

A week ago… I abandoned a dying patient when I was the only doctor on duty… If the director hadn’t come, that man would have certainly died… “If you just ignore him, he’s going to die. And if he’s got to die, you might as well cut his abdomen open...” I… I haven’t left this room since that night… “I want to go back home!!”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Expressions

When you elongate the end of sentences, you can express something emphatic or emotional. In this case, 「て」 consists of 2 sounds; a consonant [t] and a vowel [e]. Thus, the end of the sound; [e] is elongated.

7月しちがつ、そんな思おもいとは関係かんけいなく、大学だいがく病びょう院いんでの日々ひびは続つづいていた。

July, regardless of my emotions, I’ve continued to work at the university hospital.

「えー…本日ほんじつより7月しちがつ…研けん修しゅう医い諸君しょくん* も3さんヶか月げつの基礎きそ研けん修しゅうを終おえ、いよいよ本格的ほんかくてきな研けん修しゅうに入はいってもらう事ことになった。当とう第一だいいち外科げかので研けん修しゅうする者ものは7名ななめい、出久根でくね邦くに弥や、斉藤さいとう英えい二じ郎ろう。」

“Alright, since today is the first of July… that means, you, interns, have finished your 3 month basic training. So now it’s time to start your core training. Seven of you will be interning here at “Primary Surgery”. Kuniya Dekune. Eijiro Saito.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「諸君しょくん」 is a formal word and is only used by superior people to inferior people.

「お早はようございまーす!採血さいけつの時じ間かんでーす!」「なあ先生せんせい、医い者しゃってやつはもうかるんだろ?今こん度どウチの娘むすめと会あってみねーか?」「なぜみんな医い者しゃを金かね持もちだと思おもっているんだろう?僕ぼくの月給げっきゅうは3万さんまん8千円はっせんえん!当とう直ちょくのバイトでもしなきゃ、生活せいかつもできない程ほどにビンボー* なのに!」「分わかったからオレに怒おこるなよ、斉藤さいとう。」

“Good morning! It’s time to draw blood!” “Hey, doc. You guys make a lot of money, right? How about meeting my daughter next time?” “Why does everyone think us doctors are rich? I make a measly $449 a month! I’m so poor, that if I wasn’t doing my night shift, I wouldn’t be able to eat!” “I get it okay? Stop taking it out on me, Saito.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「ビンボー」 is casual form and equivalent of 「貧乏びんぼう」.

「用よう意いのできた者ものから手しゅ術じゅつ場ばに入はいるように。全員ぜんいんそろった所ところで説明せつめいを始はじめるぞ。」

“Once you’ve finished getting ready, go to the operation room. I’ll start the explanation when everyone is there.”

ご存ぞん知じかも知しれないが、大学だいがく病びょう院いんとは教育きょういく・研けん究きゅう・診療しんりょうの3みっつを目的もくてきとした特殊とくしゅな病びょう院いんであり、通つう常じょう、大学だいがくの医い学がく部ぶに附ふ属ぞくして設せっ置ちされている(文もん部科ぶか学省がくしょう 大学だいがく設せっ置ち基き準じゅん)。つまり、大学だいがく病びょう院いんとは診療しんりょうだけを目的もくてきとした病びょう院いんではないのだ。「本日ほんじつの患者かんじゃは75ななじゅうご歳さいの男性だんせい、肝硬変かんこうへんによる食しょく道どう静脈瘤じょうみゃくりゅう破は裂れつと肝性昏睡かんせいこんすいを合併がっぺいしている。」僕ぼくが今いまいるのは第一だいいち外科げか、主おもに食道しょくどう・胃い・腸ちょうや肝臓かんぞうの手しゅ術じゅつを担当たんとうする科かだ。大学だいがく病びょう院いんでの研けん修しゅう医いの研けん修しゅう方法ほうほうは大おおきく分わけて2ふたつある。ひとつ目めは最初さいしょからひとつの科かに所属しょぞくし、そこで集中しゅうちゅうして学まなぶストレート方式ほうしき。もうひとつは2に年間ねんかんどこの科かを回まわってもよいスーパーローテート方式ほうしきだ。永禄えいろく病びょう院いん附ふ属ぞく病びょう院いんの場ば合あいはスーパーローテート方式ほうしきで、僕ぼく達たちは一いっ科かに2に~3さんヶか月げつかけて色々いろいろな科かで研けん修しゅうを行おこなう。そして2に年間ねんかんのうちに、それぞれが自じ分ぶんの進すすむべき科かを決めていく事ことになる。

You may already know this, but university hospitals are unique in that they have 3 specific goals: Education, Research, and Medical care. Normally the medical department attached to a university, in other words, the university hospital… is not there with only the purpose of providing medical care. “Today’s patient is a 75 year old male. He has ruptured esophageal varices due to hepatic cirrhosis, further complicated by a hepatic coma.” The department of the hospital where I am is called “Primary Surgery”. It mainly handles surgeries on the esophagus, stomach, intestines, and liver. There are basically 2 kinds of residency styles for interns at a university hospital. The first is a straight forward style where an intern joins a single department and focuses all of their time on that department. The second is a heavily rotating style where an intern moves from department to department for about 2 years. Eiroku University’s hospital follows the heavy rotation style. We spend 2 to 3 months at each department, learning as much as we can. And, after 2 years… We decide which department we would like to continue working in.

One Point Lesson: Japanese Expressions

When it comes to 「だ」 Vs. 「です」, although both of them are formal expression, 「だ」 is generally used only in written Japanese or by superior people to inferior people as well as 「ある」 and 「いる」.

「間まもなく春日かすか部べ教きょう授じゅがいらっしゃる*。今日きょうは教きょう授じゅみずから執刀しっとうされるとの事ことだ。」

“Professor Kasukabe will be here in a few moments. The professor himself will be operating on the patient today.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Grammar

「いらっしゃる」 is a humble form of 「いる」 or 「来くる」. Even though, he is explaining the situation to interns, he uses the humble form to express his respect to the professor.

ゴッドハンド、春日かすか部べ教きょう授じゅ。永大えいだいの奇き跡せき、手しゅ術じゅつ歴れき30さんじゅう年ねんにして手しゅ術じゅつミスなどの術じゅつ後ごトラブルは一例いちれいもない。

Professor Kasukabe “Godhands”. Eiroku University has very own miracle doctor who has never made a mistake in 30 years of operating on patients.

「メス。」「ウナギとは違ちがうもんですね。」「見み事ごとな切きり口くちです、教きょう授じゅ。」「うむ。それじゃあとは頼たのみます。私わたしは研けん究きゅう室しつに戻もどります。」「手しゅ術じゅつを続つづけるぞ。そこの研けん修しゅう医い、こっちに戻もどれ。」 なんだったんだ…?今いまの…?

“Scalpel.” “This certainly is different from an eel, isn’t it?” “That was an excellent incision, professor.” “Mm. Well, then, I’ll leave the rest up to you. I’ll be returning to my research.” “Getting back to the operation. Hey, you back there. Return to the operating table.” What the hell… just happened? 

この先生せんせい…早はやくはないけど、すごく仕し事ごとがていねいだな…。

This doctor… He is not very fast, but he sure does his job carefully and thoroughly...

「自じ分ぶんが病びょう気きになったら、絶対ぜったい大学だいがく病びょう院いんには入院にゅういんしないね…。すっ裸ぱだかで手術しゅじゅつ台だいに載のせられてさ、オレ達たちみたいな研けん修しゅう医いにチンポ見みられるワケだろ…?」「なあ斉藤さいとう、合ごうコンしよーぜ、合ごうコ~ン。チンポばっかりみたくねーよぉ~。」「無理むりだよ…。ヒマもお金かねもないもん。」「だったらまた当とう直ちょくのバイトやれよ*。一晩ひとばんで8万はちまんももらえるんだろ?」「無理むりだよ…。」

“If I ever get sick, I’m never coming to a university hospital… Put on the table buck naked… That means having my dick stared at by interns like us, huh? Hey, Saito. Let’s go drinking with some girls, man. Girls! I don’t want to just look at guys’ dicks all day.” “Can’t... I don’t have the time or the money.” “Then, do some more of that part-time job. You make $900 in a single night, right?” “I can’t...”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Expressions

「やる」 has a little casual nuance and various meanings such as “give”, “do”, “send” “finish” ”play”, “manage” and “fuck”. We recommend that you don’t omit an objective when you use 「やる」. That way, it is likely you can avoid improper expressions.

「ねえ、出久根でくねくん、さっきの教きょう授じゅの執刀しっとうって何なんの意味いみがあったのかな…?」「ウワサじゃあの教きょう授じゅの手しゅ術じゅつは、いつも皮膚ひふ切開せっかいだけらしい…。普ふ段だんはウナギの解剖実験かいぼうじっけんばっか* してるって…。」「だって30さんじゅう年間ねんかん手しゅ術じゅつミスがない人ひとなんだろ…?」「30さんじゅう年間ねんかん皮膚ひふ切開せっかいだけ…確たしかに失敗しっぱいはしてないよね…。結局けっきょく教きょう授じゅである事ことと…名めい医いであるかどうかは無む関係かんけいって事ことだな。実験論文じっけんろんぶんを書かいて博はく士し号ごうをとり…その後あともひたすら研けん究きゅうを続つづけて論文ろんぶんを量産りょうさんした人ひとが教きょう授じゅになる。患者かんじゃのために病びょう院いんの中なかを走はしり回まわり…腕うでを磨みがき続つづけた人ひとは教きょう授じゅになれない…。」「でもさ…もしも腕うでに自じ信しんがないなら執刀しっとうなんてしなきゃいいじゃないか。だって”教きょう授じゅ”だよ。きっと何なんか意味いみがあって…。」

“Hey, Dekune. What was the point of that professor operating back there…?” “I’ve heard rumors that the prof’s operations are always just epidermal incisions. Supposedly he normally does nothing but experiments in eel dissection.” “But he has never made a mistake in 30 years of operating, right…?” “30 years of nothing but epidermal incisions...Yeah, I suppose he wouldn’t make mistakes, now would he? The fact that he is a professor, does not necessarily mean that he is a skilled physician. Writing an experimental thesis to get his doctorate… then doing nothing but research after that… he keeps churning out research papers and eventually becomes a professor. A skilled doctor doing the rounds at a hospital for the patients’ sakes... could never become a professor.” “But… if he is not confident in his ability to operate, then why does he do it? I mean, he is a “professor.” There is got to be a reason for this.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「ばっか」 or 「ばっかり」 are a casual form of 「ばかり」 and seen in spoken Japanese. The literal meanings are “only”, “merely”, and “nothing but”. However, it is mostly used for negative expressions.

「この場ば合あいは金かねだ。教きょう授じゅは患者かんじゃの家か族ぞくから100ひゃく万程まんほど受うけ取とっている。家か族ぞくからすれば、天てん下かの* 永大えいだい教きょう授じゅに頼たのめば安心あんしんだと思おもったんだろう…。」「あ…アナタはさっきの執刀しっとう医いの…。」「第一だいいち外科げかの白鳥貴久しらとりたかひさだ。君達きみたち2人ふたりの指し導どう医いをやらせてもらう事ことになってる。食しょく事じが終おわったら来きてくれ。午後ごごから君達きみたちにも仕し事ごとをしてもらう。」

“In this case, it’s money. The professor received about 10 thousand dollars from the patient’s family. From the family’s perspective, they feel safe asking the legendary Eiroku University professor to do the operation.” “Ah… You were the doctor back in the “OR”...” “Takahisa Shiratori from primary surgery. I’m the supervising doctor for both of you. When you’re done eating, come with me. I’ve got some work for you guys to do this afternoon.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「天てん下かの」 is a Japanese idiom. 「天てん下か」 historically means “the world” or “the whole country”. Nowadays, it is used to describe something special by following 「の」.

「この人ひと…さっき手しゅ術じゅつしたおじいさんですね…。」「今いまのところ状じょう態たいは安定あんていしている。一応いちおう*、手しゅ術じゅつは成功せいこうしたが、今こん後ごも意い識しきを回復かいふくする可か能性のうせいは低ひくい。重じゅう度どの肝かん不ふ全合併ぜんがっぺいで昏睡こんすい状じょう態たい…食しょく道どう静脈瘤じょうみゃくりゅう破は裂れつによる大出血たいしゅっけつで腎じん不ふ全ぜんも伴ともなっている…。」「斉藤先生さいとうせんせい、君きみにはこの患者かんじゃの受うけ持もちをお願ねがいする。ラシックス(利り尿にょう剤ざい)で尿にょう量りょうを確かく保ほして手しゅ術じゅつ記き録ろくを書かいておいてくれ。今いまやる事ことはそれだけだ。」「出久根でくね先生せんせい、君きみには別べつの患者かんじゃを紹介しょうかいする。」「え…?僕ぼくと一緒いっしょじゃないんですか…?」「何なん言いってるんだ…?このくらい研けん修しゅう医い一人ひとりでやるのはどの病びょう院いんでも常じょう識しきだぞ。この患者かんじゃの受うけ持もち医いは…君きみだ。」

“This is... the old man we were operating on, right?” “His condition is stable now. The operation was a success, but the chance of him regaining consciousness is pretty low. Serious liver failure compounded with a comatose state. And on top of that, he has renal failure due to massive hemorrhaging caused by his ruptured esophageal varices.” “Dr. Saito. I’m going to ask you to take care of this patient. Use the diuretic lasix to secure the patient’s urine output and then write up a record of his operation. For the moment that’s all I want you to do.” “Dr. Dekune, I have another patient for you.” “Huh? He is not going to be working with me…?” “What the hell are you talking about? It’s common sense that an intern at any hospital would do this kind of work by himself. The doctor in charge of this patient...is you!”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Expressions

「一応いちおう」 literally means “anyway” “for the time being”, “just in case” “informally”, or “more or less”. It’s a useful word. For example, when someone asked you “もう宿題しゅくだいは終おわった? (have you finished your homework?), you could say “一応いちおう終おわったよ。 (I have finished it more or less)”. However, please be careful, if you use 「一応いちおう」 too much, you would sound insecure or unprofessional because of the uncertainty.

今日きょう、初はじめて僕ぼくは正式せいしきに入院にゅういん患者かんじゃをの受うけ持もつ事ことになった…。僕ぼくの使し命めい* はこの老人ろうじんの命いのちを守まもる事ことだ…。金かね子こ敏とし夫お、75ななじゅうご歳さい、昨日きのう自じ宅たくで倒たおれ、意い識しき不ふ明めいのままこの病びょう院いんへ運はこびこまれた。この人ひとの生せい死しは…僕ぼくが握にぎっている…。「お前まえは医い者しゃだ…新人しんじんだろうが半人前はんにんまえだろうが、患者かんじゃにとってお前まえは医い者しゃだ…。」 これは試し練れんだ…。僕ぼくが本物ほんものの医い者しゃになれるかどうか…試ためされている…!

Today... is the first day I’ve ever been put in charge of a hospitalized patient… Toshio Kaneko, 75 years old… Yesterday he collapsed at his home and was brought unconscious to the hospital. I hold this man’s life... in my hands… “You’re a doctor… whether you’re new or inexperienced, to the patient, you’re still a doctor.” This is a test… I’m being tested… on whether I can become a real doctor or not!!

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「使し命めい」 means “mission” or “appointed task”. Please note: this is a very strong word, which sounds something like “mission in life” or “calling”. In this case, by using this word, the author tries to express Saito’s seriousness.

Recommended Links

Next Lesson

Program Table of Japanese Lessons