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Furigana Show|Add to ▼ Source Totoeba Project
A scientist had to know how to ask the correct question and to state it so clearly that the answer would be, in effect, a definite yes or no, not "maybe".
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Vocabulary list

kagakusha
noun
  1. scientist
kagaku
noun
  1. science
sha
suffix
  1. person; -er
noun
  1. expert; geisha; prostitute
ha
particle
  1. topic marker particle (pronounced わ in modern Japanese)
  2. indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated)
  3. adds emphasis
tadashii
i adjective
  1. right; correct
  2. proper; righteous; just; honest; truthful; lawful
shitsumon
noun, suru verb, no adjective
  1. question; inquiry; enquiry
wo
particle
  1. indicates direct object of action
  2. indicates subject of causative expression
  3. indicates an area traversed
  4. indicates time (period) over which action takes place
  5. indicates point of departure or separation of action
  6. indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
toikakeru
ichidan verb, transitive verb
  1. to ask a question
  2. to begin to ask a question
houhou
noun
  1. method; process; manner; way; means; technique
to
particle, conjunction
  1. if; when
  2. and
particle
  1. with
  2. used for quoting (thoughts, speech, etc.)
noun
  1. promoted pawn
particle
  1. indicates a question (at sentence end)
kotae
noun
  1. answer; reply; response; solution
ga
particle
  1. indicates sentence subject (occasionally object)
  2. indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions)
conjunction
  1. but; however; still; and
  2. regardless of; whether (or not) (after the volitional form of a verb)
kamoshirenai
expression
  1. may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
kamo
particle
  1. may; might; perhaps; may be; possibly
shiru

Potential Plain Present Indicative Negative Form

shirenai
godan verb, transitive verb
  1. to be aware of; to know; to be conscious of; to cognize; to cognise
  2. to notice; to feel
  3. to understand; to comprehend; to grasp
  4. to remember; to be acquainted with (a procedure)
  5. to experience; to go through; to learn
  6. to be acquainted with (a person); to get to know
  7. to concern
dehanai

Adverbial Form

dehanaku
expression, i adjective (negative)
  1. is not; am not; are not
de
particle
  1. at; in (indicates location of action; にて is the formal literary form)
  2. at; when (indicates time of action)
  3. by; with (indicates means of action)
conjunction
  1. and then; so
auxiliary
  1. and; then (indicates continuing action; alternative form of 〜て used for some verb types)
particle
  1. let me tell you; don't you know (at sentence-end; indicates certainty, emphasis, etc.)
ha
particle
  1. topic marker particle (pronounced わ in modern Japanese)
  2. indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated)
  3. adds emphasis
nai

Adverbial Form

naku
i adjective (negative)
  1. nonexistent; not being (there)
  2. unowned; not had; unpossessed
  3. unique
  4. not; impossible; won't happen (as ...ことがない, etc.; indicates negation, inexperience, unnecessariness or impossibility)
auxiliary adjective
  1. not (after the ren'youkei form of an adjective)
  2. to not be; to have not (after the -te form of a verb)
jijitsujou
noun, no adjective, adverb
  1. as a matter of fact; actually; effectively; in reality; in effect
jijitsu
adverb, noun
  1. fact; truth; reality
jou
noun, used as a suffix
  1. from the standpoint of; as a matter of (e.g. fact); in the field of; being of the type of
  2. aboard (a ship or vehicle); on top of; on; above
noun
  1. first volume (e.g. book)
noun, prefix
  1. superior quality; best; top; high class
  2. going up
  3. governmental; imperial
  4. presenting; showing
prefix
  1. ana-
meikaku
na adjective
  1. clear; precise; definite; distinct
na
particle
  1. don't (prohibitive; used with dictionary form verb)
  2. do (imperative (from なさい); used with -masu stem of verb)
interjection
  1. hey; listen; you
particle
  1. now, ...; well, ...; I tell you!; you know (when seeking confirmation, for emphasis, etc.; used at sentence end)
  2. wow; ooh (used to express admiration, emotionality, etc.; used at sentence end)
ka
particle
  1. yes?; no?; isn't it?; is it? (used at sentence-end; indicates a question (sometimes rhetorical))
  2. or; whether or not (after each alternative)
  3. some- (e.g. something, someone) (after an interrogative)
  4. hmm; huh (indicates doubt, uncertainty, etc.; sometimes after other particles)
prefix
  1. very (emphatic prefix; usu. before an adjective)
suffix
  1. -al; -ial; -ic; -ical; -ish; -y (suffix forming adjectives or adverbs; after an indeclinable word)
adverb
  1. in that way
noo
interjection
  1. no
noun, used as a prefix
  1. no; without; not needed; not allowed
ni
particle
  1. at (place, time); in; on; during
  2. to (direction, state); toward; into
  3. for (purpose)
  4. because of (reason); for; with
  5. by; from
  6. as (i.e. in the role of)
  7. per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month")
  8. and; in addition to
  9. if; although
naruhodo
expression, interjection, adverb
  1. I see; that's right; indeed
naru
godan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain
  2. to result in; to prove to be
  3. to consist of; to be composed of
  4. to succeed; to be complete
  5. to change into; to be exchanged for
  6. to play a role
  7. to be promoted
godan verb
  1. to do ... (as お+masu-stem+になる, ご+noun+になる, etc.)
hodo
noun, adverb
  1. extent; degree; measure
noun
  1. limit; bounds
  2. (span of) time
  3. (a) distance
  4. the state of; the status of; the condition of (as 〜のほど)
particle
  1. about; around; approximately; or so
  2. as much as ...; to the extent of ...; like ...
  3. the more ... the more ... (oft. as 〜ば...ほど)
meikaku
na adjective
  1. clear; precise; definite; distinct
ni
particle
  1. at (place, time); in; on; during
  2. to (direction, state); toward; into
  3. for (purpose)
  4. because of (reason); for; with
  5. by; from
  6. as (i.e. in the role of)
  7. per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month")
  8. and; in addition to
  9. if; although
sono
pre-noun adjectival
  1. that; the (something or someone distant from the speaker, close to the listener; actions of the listener, or ideas expressed or understood by the listener)
  2. part (as in "part two") (preceding a number)
interjection
  1. um ...; er ...; uh ...
shitsumon
noun, suru verb, no adjective
  1. question; inquiry; enquiry
wo
particle
  1. indicates direct object of action
  2. indicates subject of causative expression
  3. indicates an area traversed
  4. indicates time (period) over which action takes place
  5. indicates point of departure or separation of action
  6. indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
noberu
ichidan verb, transitive verb
  1. to state; to express; to mention
houhou
noun
  1. method; process; manner; way; means; technique
wo
particle
  1. indicates direct object of action
  2. indicates subject of causative expression
  3. indicates an area traversed
  4. indicates time (period) over which action takes place
  5. indicates point of departure or separation of action
  6. indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
shiru

te-form

shitte
godan verb, transitive verb
  1. to be aware of; to know; to be conscious of; to cognize; to cognise
  2. to notice; to feel
  3. to understand; to comprehend; to grasp
  4. to remember; to be acquainted with (a procedure)
  5. to experience; to go through; to learn
  6. to be acquainted with (a person); to get to know
  7. to concern
Suffix after the te form of a verb
iru

Provisional Present Indicative Negative Form

inakereba
ichidan verb, auxiliary verb
  1. to be ...-ing; to have been ...-ing (after the -te form of a verb; indicates continuing action or state)
naru

Plain Past Indicative Negative Form

naranakatta
godan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to become; to get; to grow; to be; to reach; to attain
  2. to result in; to prove to be
  3. to consist of; to be composed of
  4. to succeed; to be complete
  5. to change into; to be exchanged for
  6. to play a role
  7. to be promoted
godan verb
  1. to do ... (as お+masu-stem+になる, ご+noun+になる, etc.)
no
particle
  1. indicates possessive (occasionally ん, orig. written 乃 or 之)
  2. nominalizes verbs and adjectives
  3. substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases
  4. (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion (often ん)
  5. (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis
  6. (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
dearu
copula, godan verb (irregular)
  1. be; is
de
particle
  1. at; in (indicates location of action; にて is the formal literary form)
  2. at; when (indicates time of action)
  3. by; with (indicates means of action)
conjunction
  1. and then; so
auxiliary
  1. and; then (indicates continuing action; alternative form of 〜て used for some verb types)
particle
  1. let me tell you; don't you know (at sentence-end; indicates certainty, emphasis, etc.)
aru
godan verb (irregular), intransitive verb
  1. to be; to exist; to live (usu. of inanimate objects)
  2. to have
  3. to be located
  4. to be equipped with
  5. to happen; to come about

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