Chapter 5 of Botchan (Master Darling) is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter V
Chapter 5 of Botchan (Master Darling) is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt. He talks in a strangely womanish voice. One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman. As a man he should talk like one. Is he not a college graduate?
Chapter 5 of Botchan (Master Darling) is here in full — 270 sentences across 54 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/54 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading “One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.”
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading “Is he not a college graduate?”
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading ““Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.”
receive an academic degree upon completion of one's studies
From this reading “Is he not a college graduate?”
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading ““Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.”
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading ““Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.”
in a strange manner
From this reading “He talks in a strangely womanish voice.”
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
From this reading “He talks in a strangely womanish voice.”
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
(usually followed by “to”) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As a man he should talk like one.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
the body of faculty and students of a college
From this reading Is he not a college graduate?
the act of someone who fishes as a diversion
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
receive an academic degree upon completion of one's studies
From this reading Is he not a college graduate?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Is he not a college graduate?
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading As a man he should talk like one.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
a garment worn on the upper half of the body
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading As a man he should talk like one.
in a strange manner
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading As a man he should talk like one.
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
express in words
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
having characteristics associated with women and considered undesirable in men
From this reading He talks in a strangely womanish voice.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading One would not be able to tell whether he was a man or a woman.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Won’t you go fishing?” asked Red Shirt.
Chapter 5 of Botchan (Master Darling) by Soseki Natsume holds 270 sentences, grouped into 54 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the source edition, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 5 holds 270 sentences of Botchan (Master Darling), unabridged, divided into 54 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 5 of Botchan (Master Darling) by Soseki Natsume exactly as it stands in the source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 270 sentences, grouped into 54 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 54 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 54 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 5 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading Botchan (Master Darling) by Soseki Natsume on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 3028 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #8868 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #8868, unabridged. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 252 minutes of reading across 606 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through Botchan (Master Darling) section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 11 chapters of Botchan (Master Darling) to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in Botchan (Master Darling), each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
