Blog · Gon, the Little Fox
Gon, the Little Fox (2): 4 Expressions
This is Part 2 of our series on Gon, the Little Fox. In Part 1, Gon stole an eel from Hyōjū, and then saw the funeral of Hyōjū's mother. He wished he had never played that trick.
Now Gon watches Hyōjū working alone, and he decides to do something for him.
1. 〜と同じ（〜とおなじ）— the same as ...
Noun＋と同じ means "the same as." Before a noun, it becomes 〜と同じ＋noun.
おれと同じ一人ぼっちの兵十か
Hyōjū, all alone just like me...
Remember 一人ぼっち from Part 1? Hyōjū has lost his mother, and now he, too, is alone. This is the moment Gon feels close to him.
Today:
- 私も、あなたと同じ意見です。
I have the same opinion as you. - 兄と同じ学校に通っている。
I go to the same school as my older brother.
Tip: おれ is a rough, casual "I," used mostly by men and boys. It tells you how Gon talks inside his head.
2. つぐない — making up for something
つぐない（償い）is doing something to make up for a wrong you did. The verb is つぐなう.
ごんは、うなぎのつぐないに、まず一つ、いいことをしたと思いました。
Gon thought he had done his first good deed to make up for the eel.
Gon steals some sardines from a fish seller and throws them into Hyōjū's house. He feels good — for now.
Today:
- 迷惑をかけたつぐないに、ご飯をごちそうした。
I bought her dinner to make up for causing trouble. - 罪をつぐなうために働く。
He works to make amends for his crime.
Tip: つぐない is a serious word. For small things, people usually say お詫び（おわび）: お詫びにケーキを持ってきた — "I brought cake as an apology."
3. しまった — oh no; I messed up
しまった is what you say when you realize you have made a mistake. It is the past form of しまう, used as an exclamation.
ごんは、これはしまったと思いました。
Gon thought, "Oh no, I've done it now."
The next day, Gon learns that the fish seller thought Hyōjū stole the sardines, and beat him. Gon's good deed has only hurt him.
Today:
- しまった！傘を電車に忘れた。
Oh no! I left my umbrella on the train. - しまった、もうこんな時間だ。
Shoot, look at the time.
Tip: It is related to 〜てしまった ("ended up doing"): 寝坊してしまった — "I overslept (and I regret it)."
4. 〜ばかりでなく — not only ... but also
〜ばかりでなく means "not only." It is usually followed by 〜も ("also").
そのつぎの日には、栗ばかりでなく、まつたけも二、三ぼんもっていきました。
The day after that, he brought not only chestnuts but also two or three matsutake mushrooms.
This time Gon is careful. He doesn't steal. He gathers chestnuts and mushrooms in the forest and leaves them quietly at Hyōjū's door, day after day.
Today:
- この店は安いばかりでなく、おいしい。
This restaurant is not only cheap, it's delicious too. - 英語ばかりでなく、中国語も話せる。
She speaks not only English but also Chinese.
Tip: In speech, 〜だけじゃなくて is more common: 安いだけじゃなくて、おいしい. ばかりでなく sounds a little more written.
Read it in the story
In Part 3, Hyōjū tells a friend about the mysterious gifts. His friend has an idea about who is leaving them.