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 「もく」 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

しゃって一体いったいなんだ…?あのよるから一週間いっしゅうかんこたえはないままだ…。

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。ごようのある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。」「えーうしです。いんちょうがまた斉藤さいとうくんにとうちょくのバイトをたのめないかともうしておりまして-*留守るすでんづいたら連絡れんらくください。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.

いっしゅう間前かんまえぼくとうちょくのバイトさきびょういんで、ひん患者かんじゃまえした…。あのときいんちょうなければ患者かんじゃ確実かくじつんでいた…。「ほっといてもぬ、どうせぬならはらけろ。」ぼくはいまだにここからうごけずにいる…。「このままなか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、そんなおもいとは関係かんけいなく、大学だいがくびょういんでの日々ひびつづいていた。

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月しちがつけんしゅう諸君しょくんさんげつ基礎きそけんしゅうえ、いよいよ本格的ほんかくてきけんしゅうはいってもらうことになった。とう第一だいいち外科げかのでけんしゅうするもの7名ななめい出久根でくねくに斉藤さいとうえいろう。」

“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.

「おはようございまーす!採血さいけつかんでーす!」「なあ先生せんせいしゃってやつはもうかるんだろ?こんウチのむすめってみねーか?」「なぜみんなしゃかねちだとおもっているんだろう?ぼく月給げっきゅう3万さんまん8千円はっせんえんとうちょくのバイトでもしなきゃ、生活せいかつもできないほどにビンボーなのに!」「かったからオレにおこるなよ、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」.

ようのできたものからしゅじゅつはいるように。全員ぜんいんそろったところ説明せつめいはじめるぞ。」

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

ぞんかもれないが、大学だいがくびょういんとは教育きょういくけんきゅう診療しんりょうみっつを目的もくてきとした特殊とくしゅびょういんであり、つうじょう大学だいがくがくぞくしてせっされている(もん部科ぶか学省がくしょう 大学だいがくせっじゅん)。つまり、大学だいがくびょういんとは診療しんりょうだけを目的もくてきとしたびょういんではないのだ。「本日ほんじつ患者かんじゃ75ななじゅうごさい男性だんせい肝硬変かんこうへんによるしょくどう静脈瘤じょうみゃくりゅうれつ肝性昏睡かんせいこんすい合併がっぺいしている。」ぼくいまいるのは第一だいいち外科げかおも食道しょくどうちょう肝臓かんぞうしゅじゅつ担当たんとうするだ。大学だいがくびょういんでのけんしゅうけんしゅう方法ほうほうおおきくけてふたつある。ひとつ最初さいしょからひとつの所属しょぞくし、そこで集中しゅうちゅうしてまなぶストレート方式ほうしき。もうひとつは年間ねんかんどこのまわってもよいスーパーローテート方式ほうしきだ。永禄えいろくびょういんぞくびょういんあいはスーパーローテート方式ほうしきで、ぼくたちいっさんげつかけて色々いろいろけんしゅうおこなう。そして年間ねんかんのうちに、それぞれがぶんすすむべきを決めていくことになる。

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」.

もなく春日かすかきょうじゅがいらっしゃる*今日きょうきょうじゅみずから執刀しっとうされるとのことだ。」

“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 「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、春日かすかきょうじゅ永大えいだいせきしゅじゅつれき30さんじゅうねんにしてしゅじゅつミスなどのじゅつ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。」「ウナギとはちがうもんですね。」「ごとくちです、きょうじゅ。」「うむ。それじゃあとはたのみます。わたしけんきゅうしつもどります。」「しゅじゅつつづけるぞ。そこのけんしゅう、こっちにもどれ。」 なんだったんだ…?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? 

この先生せんせいはやくはないけど、すごく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...

ぶんびょうになったら、絶対ぜったい大学だいがくびょういんには入院にゅういんしないね…。すっぱだか手術しゅじゅつだいせられてさ、オレたちみたいなけんしゅうにチンポられるワケだろ…?」「なあ斉藤さいとうごうコンしよーぜ、ごうコ~ン。チンポばっかりみたくねーよぉ~。」「無理むりだよ…。ヒマもおかねもないもん。」「だったらまたとうちょくのバイトやれよ*一晩ひとばん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、さっきのきょうじゅ執刀しっとうってなん意味いみがあったのかな…?」「ウワサじゃあのきょうじゅしゅじゅつは、いつも皮膚ひふ切開せっかいだけらしい…。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しゅじゅつミスがないひとなんだろ…?」「30さんじゅう年間ねんかん皮膚ひふ切開せっかいだけ…たしかに失敗しっぱいはしてないよね…。結局けっきょくきょうじゅであることと…めいであるかどうかは関係かんけいってことだな。実験論文じっけんろんぶんいてはくごうをとり…そのあともひたすらけんきゅうつづけて論文ろんぶん量産りょうさんしたひときょうじゅになる。患者かんじゃのためにびょういんなかはしまわり…うでみがつづけたひときょうじゅになれない…。」「でもさ…もしもうで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”きょうじゅ”だよ。きっとなん意味いみがあって…。」

“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.

「このあいかねだ。きょうじゅ患者かんじゃぞくから100ひゃく万程まんほどっている。ぞくからすれば、てん永大えいだいきょうじゅたのめば安心あんしんだとおもったんだろう…。」「あ…アナタはさっきの執刀しっとうの…。」「第一だいいち外科げか白鳥貴久しらとりたかひさだ。君達きみたち2人ふたりどうをやらせてもらうことになってる。しょくわったらてくれ。午後ごごから君達きみたちにもごとをしてもらう。」

“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

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

「このひと…さっきしゅじゅつしたおじいさんですね…。」「いまのところじょうたい安定あんていしている。一応いちおう*しゅじゅつ成功せいこうしたが、こんしき回復かいふくする能性のうせいひくい。じゅうかん全合併ぜんがっぺい昏睡こんすいじょうたいしょくどう静脈瘤じょうみゃくりゅうれつによる大出血たいしゅっけつじんぜんともなっている…。」「斉藤先生さいとうせんせいきみにはこの患者かんじゃちをおねがいする。ラシックス(尿にょうざい)で尿にょうりょうかくしてしゅじゅつろくいておいてくれ。いまやることはそれだけだ。」「出久根でくね先生せんせいきみにはべつ患者かんじゃ紹介しょうかいする。」「え…?ぼく一緒いっしょじゃないんですか…?」「なんってるんだ…?このくらいけんしゅう一人ひとりでやるのはどのびょういんでもじょうしきだぞ。この患者かんじゃは…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わった? (have you finished your homework?), you could say “一応いちおうわったよ。 (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.

今日きょうはじめてぼく正式せいしき入院にゅういん患者かんじゃをのことになった…。ぼく使めい* はこの老人ろうじんいのちまもことだ…。かねとし75ななじゅうごさい昨日きのうたくたおれ、しきめいのままこのびょういんはこびこまれた。このひとせいは…ぼくにぎっている…。「おまえしゃだ…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まえしゃだ…。」 これはれんだ…。ぼく本物ほんものしゃになれるかどうか…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.

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