Blog · The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Part 1
The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Part 1 (2): 4 Expressions
This is Part 2 of our articles on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, Part 1. In the last article, an old bamboo cutter found a tiny girl inside a shining bamboo stalk and took her home.
Now she grows up, gets her famous name, and becomes the talk of the whole country.
1. すくすく（と）— (growing) healthily and quickly
すくすく is a mimetic word (擬態語). It describes children, animals or plants growing well and fast.
女の子は、すくすくと大きくなりました。
The girl grew up quickly and healthily.
In just three months she is as tall as an adult. That is the first sign that she is not an ordinary child.
Today:
- 子どもたちがすくすく育っている。
The children are growing up healthy and strong. - 庭のトマトがすくすく伸びている。
The tomatoes in the garden are shooting up.
Tip: People often say すくすく育つ about babies. It is a happy, warm word — perfect for a birthday card.
2. この世のものとは思えない（このよのものとはおもえない）— out of this world
この世 is "this world." 〜とは思えない means "I can't believe that ..." Together: "so beautiful (or strange) that it can't be from this world."
その顔の美しさは、この世のものとは思えないほどでした。
Her face was so beautiful that it seemed not of this world.
This line is also a small hint. Is she really from this world? Keep it in mind for Part 3.
Today:
- 山の上から見た星空は、この世のものとは思えなかった。
The starry sky from the top of the mountain was out of this world. - 彼が高校生とは思えない。
I can't believe he's a high school student.
Tip: 〜とは思えない works with many nouns: 初めてとは思えない（you'd never know it was your first time）— a nice compliment.
3. 名づける（なづける）— to name
名 means "name" and 付ける means "to attach." 名づける is "to give a name."
あきたは、「なよ竹のかぐや姫」と名づけました。
Akita named her "Nayotake no Kaguya-hime."
なよ竹 is thin, flexible bamboo. かぐや may come from an old word for shining. So her name means something like "the shining princess of the slender bamboo."
Today:
- 子犬を「モモ」と名づけた。
I named the puppy Momo. - この花は、発見した人の名前から名づけられた。
This flower was named after the person who discovered it.
Tip: 名前をつける means the same thing and is more common in daily speech. 名づける sounds a little more formal or literary.
4. うわさが広がる（うわさがひろがる）— rumors spread; word gets around
うわさ is "a rumor" or "talk about someone." 広がる is "to spread."
かぐや姫の美しさのうわさは、国じゅうに広がりました。
Word of Kaguya-hime's beauty spread throughout the country.
国じゅう means "all over the country." 〜じゅう after a place means "throughout": 町じゅう, 世界じゅう.
Today:
- 新しい先生のうわさが、学校じゅうに広がった。
Talk about the new teacher spread all over the school. - うわさをすれば、本人が来た！
Speak of the devil — here he comes!
Tip: うわさをすれば（影がさす）is the Japanese version of "speak of the devil." Usually people only say the first half.
Read it in the story
Next time: men from all over the country come to see Kaguya-hime, but only five refuse to give up.