Departments
Lesson 5
Children in Japan
子供
kodomo
How do the Japanese feel about children? Like so many things in Japan, there is an abundance of contradictory evidence. Japanese children seem to be coddled one hand, while on the other hand they endure a great deal of pressure in Japan's intensely competitive society. Interestingly, many Japanese feel that Americans dote too much on their children. As one Japanese commentator said:
Amerikajin wa kodomo ni yowai.
アメリカ人は子供に弱い。
"Americans have a weakness for children."
Historically, Japanese viewed child-rearing as a duty. However, this can probably be said of American and European society as well. In any event, you may find the following Japanese proverbs about children to be interesting:
Ko wa sangai no kubi-kase
子は三界の首枷
"Children are a burden."
Kodomo no kenka ni oya ga deru
子供の喧嘩に親が出る。
"Parents meddling in their children's quarrels" = "It is unwise to become involved in others' affairs."
Roo wa ko ni shitagae
老は子に従え
"When you are old, listen to your children."
Mitsugo no tamashi hyaku made
三つ子の魂百まで
"The child's spirit lives in the old man."
Kodomo no nedoi
子供の根問い
"Children are inquisitive."
Kodomo wa kaze no ko
子供は風の子
"Children are as free as the wind."
Kodomo wa oshie korose uma wa kai korose
子供は教え殺せ馬は飼い殺せ
"Children and horses must be thoroughly disciplined."
Kodomo zuki ni ko nashi
子供好きに子なし
"Those who are fond of children have no children."
It seems that Japanese, like others, are a bundle of ambivalent attitudes when it comes to children and child-rearing. If you discuss these topics with Japanese, you may find a use for the following vocabulary:
oya-baka 親ばか "excessive parental doting on a child"
oka-gakari 親がかり "sponging off one's parents"
Taroo-kun wa nijuu-roku-sai no kuse ni mada oya-gakari de iru.
太郎君は２６歳のくせにまだ親がかりでいる。
"Taro is still sponging off his parents even though he's 26 years old."
yoochi na 幼稚な "childish"
kodomo demo dekiru hodo yasashii shigoto 子供でもできるほどやさしい仕事 "a job so easy that a child could do it"
gaki 餓鬼 "a brat"; "an urchin"
gakippoi 餓鬼っぽい "bratty"
Komakai koto made setsumei sureba ii 'n desu ga, yoochi na oshiekata wa iranai yo.
細かい事まで説明すればいいんですが、幼稚な教え方は要らないよ。
"It's good to explain the fine details, but you needn't teach as if we were children."