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

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

Japanese Lessons 1-1-1 けんしゅうよる / Night of the Intern

*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.

Japanese Lessons 1-1-1 けんしゅうよる / Night of the Intern

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

You can browse all of the pages by clicking the picture above and then move to any page via 「もく」 at the left. When you need English translations or explanations, please return here and refer them. This article covers from page 1 to page 19.

Japanese Script with English Translation

8千人はっせんにん……、毎年まいとし8千人はっせんにん全国ぜんこく81はちじゅういちある大学だいがくがくそつぎょうしてゆく。君達きみたちはその8千人はっせんにんのトップの80はちじゅうにんである!ほんりょう背負せおっていく*のは君達きみたちです!」

“8000… Every year 8000 students graduate from the 81 medical universities in this country. And, of those 8000, you are the top eighty! Japan’s medical future rests in your hands!”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

背負せおう」 literally means “carry something on one’s back or shoulder”. However, it is often used for something responsible such as 「ほん (Japan) を背負せおう」 「しゃっきん (debts) を背負せおう」 and 「らい (future) を背負せおう」。

ねむそうだな、斉藤さいとう…。」「うん、さっきまでとうちょくだったから。きのうのあさからもう24にじゅうよかんじょうここにいるよ。」「オレもさ。きょうじゅ実験じっけんつだいでさ…。さんかんしかてねえ*…。」「じゃあぼくちだ。かんしかてない!」

“You look pretty sleepy, Saito.” “Yeah, I just got off my shift. I’ve been here over 24 hours since yesterday morning.” “Yeah, me too. Helping out with the doctor’s experiments... I only slept 3 hours…” “Then, I win. I only slept 2 hours!”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Expressions

「~ねえ」 is a masculine expression and the same meaning as 「~ない」. This is very casual tone and often used everyday life, like for instance  「このテレビ、面白おもしろくねえ。」.

永禄大学えいろくだいがくがくそつぎょうからさんげつぼくいま永禄大学えいろくだいがくぞくびょういんけんきゅうをしている。

It’s been 3 months since I graduated from Eiroku University, and currently I am working as an intern at the university’s hospital.

「ちゅうううう。」「ホラ斉藤さいとうちゅうしゃするのにイチイチ*そんなかおすんな!」

“Shluuuuuurp.” “Come on, Saito! Don’t make that kind of face every time you give an injection!”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

「イチイチ」 is always used for negative expressions.

けんしゅうというのようするにならいだ。しゃになるには大学だいがく6年間ろくねんかんがくまなび、こっけん合格ごうかくしなければいけない。ところがそのこっけんがくしきをみるものでじつ技試ぎしけんなど*ふくまれていない(!)そこで、免許めんきょ取得しゅとくしたもの大半たいはんは、その大学だいがくびょういんなどでけんしゅうをする。

Interns are basically apprentices. To become a doctor, we need to study at a medical university for 6 years and then pass the national medical practitioners qualifying examination. But the national medical practitioners qualifying examination only tests medical knowledge. There is no practical exam! That’s why most graduates spend the next 2 years as an intern at a university hospital.

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

The typical usage of 「など」 is “et cetera”, and “or something”. Here, it is used as something like “the like of”. 「など」 can be used for negative expressions.

「もっとじゅつひろげろ、斉藤さいとう。」「はい!」

“Widen the incision, Saito.” “Yes, Sir!”

「はあ…しゅじゅつあとでうまそうにメシをってるぶんいやだ。なあ、斉藤さいとう…。オレはこのままではひとこころくしてしまう…。「なにってんだよ!*ほんりょうささえてるのは僕達ぼくたちなんだぞ!」「……。」

One Point Lesson: Japanese Grammar

If we plainly said this phrase 「なにってんだよ」, it would be like 「なにっているのだよ」. In spoken Japanese, particles are often omitted. For example, 「ごはんべたい」 is also very natural, even though 「ごはんべたい」 is grammatically correct.

一日平均労働いちにちへいきんろうどうかん16じゅうろくかんげっきゅうなんと…3万8千円さんまんはっせんえんにっきゅうでなくげっきゅうである。うちのびょういん待遇たいぐう特別とくべつわるいわけではない。国立こくりつではもうすこたかいらしいが、だい*びょういんけんしゅうとのげっきゅう10じゅう万円まんえん以下いかところ約7割やくななわりめる。その給料きゅうりょうりょうしょくもないんだから生活せいかつできるわけない。で…

On average, interns work about 16 hours a day. My monthly salary is an astounding… 459 US dollars! Not my daily salary. My monthly Salary. That doesn’t mean my hospital’s treatment is bad. It seems public hospitals, pay a little more, but roughly 70% of interns at private university hospitals make under $1200 a month. Obviously no one could live off a salary like that with food and rent to pay for. So…

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

国立こくりつ」 and 「だい」 are a contracted form of 「国立こくりつ大学だいがく  (public university)」 and 「りつ大学だいがく (private university)」 respectively.

「それでは斉藤さいとうくん、本日ほんじつきみとういんとうちょくのアルバイトをおねがいする。斉藤さいとうえいろう25にじゅうごさい永禄大学えいろくだいがくがくそつ…このびょういんとうちょくはじめて…と。永大卒えいだいそつか…、エリートってやつだな…。」「はい!永大えいだいじぬようがんばります!」「今日きょう初日しょにちということ特別とくべつにもう一人ひとりとうちょくがいる。ここのやりかたかれいてくれ*。ではよろしく。」

“Well then, Mr. Saito, starting today, you will be starting a part-time shift at this hospital. Eijiro Saito, 25 years old, graduated from Eiroku University’s medical department. This will be your first time on duty… Well… from Eiroku, huh? So you’re one of the elite.” “Yes, sir! I will try my best not to soil Eiroku’s fine reputation!” “Since today is your first day, we also have someone else on duty. Ask him how things work around here. Glad to have you on board.

One Point Lesson: Japanese Vocabulary

Japanese has 3 words; きく related to “listening”. 「く」 is the most general one and has comprehensive meanings. 「く」 means more carefully listening than 「く」 and so it is often used for listening to music or presentations. And 「く」 means “ask” or “inquire”, but it is seldom used nowadays. 「く」 can be substituted for 「く」 today.

これがけんしゅう現実げんじつだ。

This is the reality of being an intern.

はじめまして!とうちょくのバイトにやってきました永大えいだい斉藤さいとう*です。あ…あの…、永大えいだいからとうちょくました斉藤さいとうです…。」「っとけ…。えるときっとけ…。そしてとけ。れるときにとけ。」

“Pleased to meet you! I’m Saito and I’m here from Eiroku as a part-time doctor. Um, I, uh… I’m Saito from Eiroku. I’m here for the short.” “Eat.. eat when you can eat. And sleep. Sleep when you can sleep.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Cultures

When it comes to self-introductions in Japan, Japanese people usually say an organization’s name to which you belong first and then your name. Please note: he emphasizes the name of the university too much this time.

誠同せいどうびょういん…ベッドすう120ひゃくにじゅういきちゅうかくをになうだい規模きぼびょういん…か。きん務医むい3人さんにん最初さいしょひと院長いんちょうで、さっきのひとうしさん。こんぼくうしさんの2人ふたりきり…。」

Seido Hospital, 120 beds, a pretty large hospital… taking on the majority of the area’s residents… hmm. Three doctors, the first person I met was the hospital director and that last guy was Mr. Ushida. Tonight it’s just me and Mr. Ushida.

「いてーよー!いてーよー!」*いそぐぞ!こっからさきせんじょうだ!」「はい!」「患者かんじゃ20歳はたち男性だんせい30さんじゅっぷん程前ほどまえにバイクで転倒てんとうひだりあしれています!」「血算けっさんせい血型けつがただいきゅう濃厚赤血のうこうせっけっきゅう10じゅっパックせろ!永大えいだい!ラクテック全開ぜんかい、ハイドロコーン1000せんミリ側管そっかんちゅうしろ!おそいぞ!永大えいだい!!わったら血液交差適合試験クロスマッチしろ!」

“Aaahhh! Please! Help me!!” “Hurry! It’s going to be a war zone in there.” “Yes, sir!” “Patient is a 20 year old male! He fell off his motorcycle roughly 30 minutes ago. His leg is shattered!” “Get me his blood count, blood type, and a comprehensive chemical breakdown! Start! And bring me 10 packs of PRBCS. Eiroku Grad! Give him a lactec injection and 1000 milligrams of hydro-condone! Hurry it up, Eiroku!! Then, when you’re done, crossmatch his blood!

*Note: you don’t have to understand the medical vocabulary, just feel the how serious it is.

One Point Lesson: Japanese Grammar

If we plainly said this phrase 「いてーよ」, it would be like 「いたいよ」. This flection can be used by men and often seen in spoken Japanese such as 「したい → してえ」. If you were confused with 「してー」 vs. 「してえ」, please read them out. Since this is a spoken language, you will realize there is no difference.

「すみません…なんのやくにもてませんでした。」「んでいるヒマなんかねーぞ。はじまるのはこれからだ。」

“Sorry… I wasn’t able to help at all in there.” “You are not got time to be depressed. The night is just starting.”

One Point Lesson: Japanese Grammar

As is similar to the above, if we plainly said this phrase 「ねーぞ」, it would be like 「ないぞ」.  This flection can be used by men and often seen in spoken Japanese such as 「ないよ → ねぇぞ」. If you were confused with 「ねーぞ」 vs. 「ねぇぞ」, please read them out. Since this is a spoken language, you will realize there is no difference.

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