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The World of Colour — vocabulary companion
色の世界
A free graded reader, page by page: every word and grammar point, with readings, meanings and the page it appears on. The book is free to download too.
All 120 words
p. 2
ある日あるひone dayexpressionある + noun picks out an unspecified one. The standard way to open a story.ある日one day
いろいろvarious, all sorts ofna-adjectiveWritten 色々 — literally 'colour colour', which is quietly the whole subject of this book.いろいろな色all sorts of colours
色いろcolournounRead いろ alone; しょく or しき in compounds such as 黄色 and 景色.いろいろな色various colours
混ざるまざるto be mixed togetherverbIntransitive: things mix of their own accord. 混ぜる is the transitive pair — you mix them.色が混ざってthe colours mixed
黒くろblacknounThe noun. 黒い is the adjective. Here it is also the character's name, so it takes は and が like a person.黒が現れたBlack appeared
現れるあらわれるto appear, to emergeverbOf something coming into view or into existence, often unexpectedly.黒が現れたBlack appeared
p. 3
ぶつかるto bump into, to collide withverbTakes に for what you hit. Also used of running into a problem.黒にぶつかるとif you bump into Black
どんな〜でもany ~ at all, no matter what ~grammarSweeping: not one exception. The sentence's whole threat sits in this frame.どんな色でもany colour at all
すぐimmediately, right awayadverbOf time, and also of distance — すぐそこ is 'just there'.すぐ黒くなってturns black right away
黒いくろいblacki-adjective黒く is its adverbial form: 黒くなる = to become black.黒くなってしまうends up turning black
〜てしまうto end up ~ing (regrettably, completely)grammarMarks a change as finished and usually unwanted. It runs through the whole book — everything Black does is something that ends up done.黒くなってしまうends up going black
強いつよいstrongi-adjectiveOpposite 弱い. Of people, force, flavours and drink.黒は強いBlack is strong
p. 4
自分じぶんoneselfpronounRefers back to whoever the sentence is about. Recurs on almost every page of this story.自分の力its own strength
力ちからstrength, powernounRead ちから alone; りょく in compounds like 協力 and 能力.自分の力が自慢だproud of its own strength
自慢じまんpride, boastingnoun自慢する = to boast. Note the tone: 自慢 is pride shown off, not quiet self-respect.力が自慢だproud of its strength
俺おれI, me (blunt, masculine)pronounBlack's pronoun throughout, and a large part of how it is characterised before it does anything.俺の言うことwhat I say
言うことを聞くいうことをきくto do as one is toldexpressionLiterally 'listen to what is said' — but it means obeying, not merely hearing.言うことを聞かないとif you don't do as I say
染めるそめるto dyeverbThe book's key verb. 染まる is the intransitive pair — to be dyed.黒く染めてしまうぞI'll dye you black
〜ぞblunt assertive sentence-endergrammarForceful and masculine. Attached to a threat it is close to a shout.染めてしまうぞI'll dye you, I warn you
みんなeveryone, all of themnounWritten 皆. Both 'everyone' and 'everything', depending on what is being counted.みんなは怖がったeveryone was afraid
乱暴らんぼうviolent, roughna-adjective乱 (disorder) + 暴 (violence). Of behaviour, driving, or handling things carelessly.乱暴な黒violent Black
怖がるこわがるto be afraid ofverb〜がる turns an adjective of feeling into an outward act: 怖い is how you feel, 怖がる is showing fear. Japanese avoids stating another person's feelings flatly, so this ending is how you describe them.黒を怖がったwere afraid of Black
p. 5
しかしhowevergrammarWritten register. でも is its everyday equivalent — this book uses しかし in narration and でも in Black's speech.しかし、誰もhowever, nobody
誰もだれもnobody (with a negative)expression誰か = somebody, 誰も + negative = nobody. The negative later in the sentence is doing the work.誰も勝てずnobody could win
勝つかつto win, to beatverbTakes に for whom you beat — 黒に勝つ, not 黒を勝つ.黒には勝てずcould not beat Black
〜ずwithout ~ing (literary negative)grammarA written-style 〜ないで. Joins clauses in narration: 勝てず、… = 'could not win, and …'.勝てずunable to win
ますますmore and more, increasinglyadverbOf something already true becoming more so.ますます自信を持つgrew ever more confident
自信じしんconfidencenoun自 (self) + 信 (trust). 自信を持つ = to have confidence.自信を持つto be confident
〜ようになるto come to ~, to reach the point of ~inggrammarA gradual change of state. Contrast 〜ことになる, which is a decision arrived at.持つようになったcame to have
p. 6
思うおもうto think, to feelverb思う is what you feel or suppose; 考える is deliberate reasoning. Black 思うs a great deal and 考えるs very little.黒は思ったBlack thought
全世界ぜんせかいthe whole worldnoun全 (all) prefixed to a noun: 全部, 全員, 全世界.全世界をthe whole world
世界せかいthe worldnounThe word the story turns on — it appears on nearly every page from here.世界を独り占めthe world all to itself
〜ようlet's ~, I'll ~ (volitional)grammarSaid to oneself it is a resolution rather than an invitation.染めようI'll dye it
独り占めひとりじめhaving something all to oneselfnoun独り (alone) + 占める (to occupy). Monopolising — and the exact thing the ending undoes.世界を独り占めthe world to itself alone
そしてand then, andgrammarJoins one sentence to the next in narration.そして、世界をand then, the world
p. 7
すべてall, every onenounWritten 全て. More formal than 全部; suits narration.すべての色をevery colour
他ほかother, the restnoun他の色たち — 'the other colours', the phrase the book uses for everyone who is not Black.他の色たちthe other colours
〜たちplural marker (people, and here, characters)grammarNormally only for people and animals. Applying it to colours is what makes them characters rather than shades.色たちthe colours
悲鳴ひめいa scream, a cry of distressnoun悲 (grief) + 鳴 (to cry out). 悲鳴を上げる is the usual pairing.悲鳴を聞いてもeven hearing their screams
〜てもeven if ~, even though ~grammarTe-form + も. Concedes the first clause and carries on regardless — which is the point being made about Black.聞いてもeven though it heard
同情どうじょうsympathy, pitynoun同 (same) + 情 (feeling) — feeling with someone. 同情する = to feel for them.同情せずにwithout any sympathy
〜ずにwithout ~inggrammarThe literary 〜ないで. する becomes せずに, irregularly — worth memorising as its own form.同情せずにwithout sympathising
p. 8
どんどんsteadily, more and moreadverbA mimetic of momentum — of something proceeding fast and without pause.どんどん暗くなってgrew darker and darker
暗いくらいdarki-adjectiveOpposite 明るい. Also of a mood or an expression.暗くなっていったwent on getting darker
〜ていくto go on ~ing (away from now)grammarChange moving away from the speaker in time. Its partner 〜てくる brings the change toward you — both appear in this book, a few pages apart.なっていったwent on becoming
p. 9
最後さいごthe last, the final onenoun最 (most) + 後 (after). Opposite 最初.最後の色も消えthe last colour vanished too
消えるきえるto disappear, to go outverbIntransitive. 消す is transitive — to switch off or erase.色も消えthe colour vanished
ついにfinally, in the endadverbWritten 遂に. Of an outcome long building — good or, as here, bad.ついに世界はat last the world
闇やみdarknessnounHeavier than 暗さ: 闇 is darkness as a thing you are inside.黒い闇にin black darkness
包むつつむto wrap, to envelopverbHere in the passive, 包まれる — the world is wrapped in dark rather than doing the wrapping.闇に包まれたwas enveloped in darkness
p. 10
ぜんぶall of it, entirelynounWritten 全部. Plainer than すべて — note the book gives すべて to the narrator and ぜんぶ to Black.世界はぜんぶthe world entirely
望みのぞみa wish, what one hoped fornounFrom 望む, to wish for. 望み通り = exactly as wished.望み通りjust as it had wished
〜通りどおりjust as ~, in accordance with ~grammarAttached to a noun it voices as どおり. The irony is carried entirely by this word.望み通りas wished
以外いがいother than, apart fromnounFollows the noun it excludes: 黒以外 = anything but black.黒以外何もnothing but black
何もなにもnothing (with a negative)expressionSame shape as 誰も on p. 5 — the negative verb supplies the 'no'.何も見えなくnothing visible
見えるみえるto be visible, to be in sightverbNot the potential of 見る: things appear to you whether or not you choose to look.見えなくなったbecame invisible
喜ぶよろこぶto be delightedverbOf gladness shown. The last time Black is glad for another nine pages.黒は喜んだBlack was delighted
p. 11
しばらくfor a whileadverbAn unspecified stretch of time. しばらくして = after a while.しばらくしてafter a while
手に入れるてにいれるto obtain, to get hold ofexpressionLiterally 'put into one's hand'. Of something worked for.世界を手に入れたI got the world
これからfrom now on, after thisexpressionPairs with 今まで, up to now.これからどうすればwhat do I do now
〜ばいいshould ~, it would be good to ~grammarConditional + いい. As a question — どうすればいい — it is asking for a way forward.どうすればいいwhat should I do
どこでもanywhere, everywhereexpressionQuestion word + でも sweeps the whole set: 誰でも, 何でも, いつでも.どこでも同じthe same everywhere
同じおなじthe samena-adjectiveIrregular: it attaches straight to a noun with no な — 同じ景色, not 同じな景色.同じ景色the same view
景色けしきscenery, a viewnounAn irregular reading — 色 is しき here, not いろ.同じ景色the same scenery
つまらないboring, dulli-adjectiveAlso 'trivial' — つまらないもの is the set phrase for offering a gift modestly.つまらないなあhow dull
p. 12
果てしないはてしないendless, boundlessi-adjective果て (an end, a limit) + ない. Of space or of time.果てしない闇endless darkness
後悔こうかいregretnoun後 (after) + 悔 (to regret) — regret arriving after the fact, which is the only kind there is.後悔し始めたbegan to regret it
〜始めるはじめるto begin to ~grammarAttaches to a verb stem. Its opposite is 〜終わる.後悔し始めたstarted regretting
いったいon earth, exactly (in questions)adverbWritten 一体. Adds exasperation or bewilderment to a question.いったい何をwhat on earth
p. 13
するとthereupon, and thengrammarThe next thing happens by itself, not because anyone chose it. Perfect for a surprise.すると、黒の目からand then, from Black's eyes
目めeyenounAlso in many idioms — 目に入る, 目を閉じる (p. 19).黒の目からfrom Black's eyes
涙なみだa tear, tearsnounThe turning point of the story, and the word it repeats most from here on.涙があふれてtears welled up
あふれるto overflow, to well upverbWritten 溢れる. Of liquid, or of a feeling too big to hold.あふれてきたcame welling up
〜てくるto come to ~, to start ~ing (toward now)grammarThe mirror of 〜ていく on p. 8: change arriving at the speaker rather than receding.あふれてきたbegan to overflow
p. 14
手にとるてにとるto pick up, to take in one's handexpressionDistinct from 手に入れる on p. 11 — this is literally lifting a thing to look at it.涙を手にとってtook the tear in its hand
〜てみるto try ~ing, to ~ and seegrammarFrom 見る. Doing something to find out what happens — which is the whole second half of this book.手にとって見たtook it and looked
青いあおいbluei-adjectiveAlso covers the green of a traffic light and the pallor of a face.青い涙a blue tear
青あおbluenounThe noun, and here another of the colour characters.青だit's blue
あれhuh?, wait —expressionSaid alone with a rising tone: something is not as expected. Not the demonstrative あれ.あれ？青だhuh? it's blue
p. 15
どうしてwhy, how comeexpressionSofter than なぜ, which is more written.どうして青がwhy blue?
出るでるto come out, to emergeverbVery broad — leaving a place, appearing, being served, attending.青が出てきたblue came out
もしかしてcould it be that ~, perhapsexpressionIntroduces a guess the speaker half hopes is right.もしかして俺にはcould it be that I…
作るつくるto make, to createverbThe counterweight to 染める: Black has spent the book destroying colour and now wonders about making it.色を作る力the power to make colours
〜のかなI wonder if ~grammarWondering aloud to oneself. かな alone is the same thing, more casual still.あるのかなI wonder if I have it
p. 16
もっとmoreadverbDoubling it — もっともっと, on the next page — pushes it further still.もっと泣いてみたtried crying more
泣くなくto cry, to weepverb泣く is a person crying; 鳴く, same reading, is the sound an animal makes.もっと泣いたcried more
今度こんどthis time; next timenounBoth — context decides. Here it is 'this time', contrasting with the blue tear before.今度は赤い涙this time a red tear
赤いあかいredi-adjectiveIts noun form 赤 arrives on p. 20 as another character.赤い涙a red tear
p. 17
そうかI see, so that's itexpressionThe moment of understanding. そうですか is its polite form and is far cooler in tone.そうか！俺はI see! I…
取り込むとりこむto take in, to absorbverb取る + 込む, the second meaning 'into'. This compound is the story's explanation of itself.全部取り込んだtook them all in
だからso, that's whygrammarDraws the conclusion from what was just said.だから、俺の中にはso, inside me
そうすればif I do that, that wayexpressionそう + the conditional of する. Links a plan to its hoped-for result.そうすればif I do that
せいfault, because of (blame)noun〜のせいで assigns blame; 〜のおかげで gives credit. Black uses せい about itself — the admission the story has been building to.俺のせいでbecause of me
〜かもしれないmight, may begrammarGenuine uncertainty, weaker than でしょう.作れるかもしれないI might be able to make them
p. 19
なかなかnot readily (with a negative)adverbWith a negative it means something will not happen however much you try. With a positive it means 'quite' — two opposite jobs for one word.涙がなかなか出ないthe tears wouldn't come
閉じるとじるto close, to shutverbOf eyes, books, and lids. 閉める is for doors and windows.目を閉じないでwithout closing its eyes
開けるあけるto openverbTransitive; 開く is the intransitive pair.開けたままleft open
〜たままleaving it ~, still in that stategrammarA state left unchanged, usually where you would expect it to change.開けたままにleaving them open
〜たり〜たりするdoing things like ~ and ~grammarLists examples rather than a complete sequence — these are some of the things Black tried, not all.したり、反省したりdoing this and that
深いふかいdeepi-adjective深く as an adverb — of thinking, sleeping, or regretting.深く反省したreflected deeply
反省はんせいreflection on one's own conductnoun反 (turn back) + 省 (examine). Stronger than 'reflection' in English: it implies acknowledging fault and meaning to change.反省したりしたreflected on what it had done
p. 20
流すながすto let flow, to shedverb涙を流す is the set phrase for shedding tears. 流れる is the intransitive pair.涙を流すたびにeach time it shed tears
〜たびにeach time ~, whenever ~grammarWritten 〜度に. Every single occurrence, without exception.流すたびにevery time it wept
少しずつすこしずつlittle by littleexpression〜ずつ distributes an amount evenly: 一人ずつ, 少しずつ.少しずつ色たちがthe colours, little by little
戻るもどるto come back, to returnverbIntransitive — they return of themselves. 戻す is putting something back.戻って来たcame back
赤あかrednounAs a character here, like 黒 and 青.赤がRed…
黄色きいろyellownoun色 is read いろ here. Unlike 赤 and 青 it needs the 色 to stand alone as a colour name.黄色がYellow…
p. 22
ようやくfinally, at long lastadverbRelief after a long wait — where ついに on p. 9 was simply an outcome arriving.ようやく色づくat last taking on colour
色づくいろづくto take on colour, to turn colourverb色 + づく (to take on a quality). Usually of autumn leaves — here of a whole world.色づく世界a world taking on colour
やっぱりafter all, as I thoughtadverbCasual form of やはり. Confirms what was suspected all along.やっぱり、こんなafter all, this kind…
こんなthis kind ofpre-noun adjectiveAttaches straight to a noun. Set with そんな and あんな.こんな世界a world like this
〜の方がほうが~ is the better / more ~grammarMarks the preferred side of a comparison. The other side is left unsaid here, because everyone knows what it was.世界の方が好きだI prefer this world
p. 23
やめるto stop doing, to give upverbWritten 止める. Takes 〜のを for the activity given up.染めるのをやめたstopped dyeing them
体からだbodynounBlack shrinks as the colours leave it — the cost it accepts.自分の体が小さくits own body grew small
小さいちいさいsmalli-adjective小さくなる = to get smaller.小さくなってもeven if it got smaller
美しいうつくしいbeautifuli-adjectiveMore formal and more considered than きれい, which can also just mean tidy.美しい世界を見てseeing the beautiful world
満足まんぞくsatisfaction, contentmentnoun満 (full) + 足 (enough). Set against 自慢 on p. 4 — the book's argument in two words.黒は満足したBlack was content
欲しいほしいto want (a thing)i-adjectiveAn adjective, not a verb: the thing wanted takes が. For wanting to do something, use 〜たい.自分の欲しいものwhat it really wanted
わかるto understand, to come to seeverbWith 〜てくる it is understanding arriving gradually — the last words of the story before おしまい.わかってきたcame to understand
おしまいthe endexpressionHow a children's story closes. Also 'that's it, we're done' in ordinary speech.おしまいthe end
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色の世界 by セン・シュ · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
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A companion word list for 色の世界 by セン・シュ, published free by NPO多言語多読 (tadoku.org), not affiliated with or endorsed by its author or publisher. It lists vocabulary, readings, meanings and the page each word appears on. It is not the work itself and does not replace it, so read it alongside the book.