Sign In

Lessons

Lists

Learn Japanese with Anime - The Ones Who Create An Era Are Not Swords But The People Who Wield The S

8 Sentences|32 Words|37 Kanji Video Lessons »

Learn Japanese with Anime - The Ones Who Create An Era Are Not Swords But The People Who Wield The S

In this video we’re going to analyse Kenshin's quote from Rurouni Kenshin (anime scene edited).

If you enjoy the video lessons from Easy Peasy Japanesey, please subscribe to their channel on YouTube.Please Subscribe!

Analysis

Topic: 時代を創るの

時代 means ”era” and the を particle indicates that 時代 is the direct object of the action 創る meaning “to create”.

For learners who are learning kanji, there are three kanjis for つくる.

  • 創る – “to bring something new and original into existence” such as new school, new world and so on. Kenshin is talking about creating the new era so this kanji is used.
  • 作る (more commonly used) – “to form something small or something intangible by putting things together” such as food, songs, and so on.
  • 造る –  “to form something tangible on a large scale by putting things together” such as ships, money and so on. 

The の particle makes the verb work as a noun. So 時代を創るの means “the ones who create an era”.

Predicate: 刀ではなくそれを扱う人でござる

The grammar is AではなくB meaning “not A but B”.

The A is 刀 meaning “a Japanese sword” and the B is “それを扱う人”.

それ means “it” which is 刀, を is the direct object particle, 扱う means “handle or wield something” and the clause それを扱う modifies 人 meaning “people”, so それを扱う人 means “the people who wield the swords”. Therefore, 刀ではなくそれを扱う人 means “not swords but the people who wield the swords”.

Lastly, でござる – I’m sure you’ve never heard this in real life but it’s often used by ninja or samurai in anime. It was actually used by samurai like Kenshin in the Edo era. So if I change this sentence into the modern style, it will be 時代を創るのは刀ではなくそれを扱う人です. Also, ではなく sounds stiff and formal so じゃなくて is often used in casual speech. 

Sentences

Add to ▼

Kenshin’s Quote

The ones who create an era are not swords but the people who wield the swords.

創る/作る/造る (to make)

This school was created in the Meiji era.
Please listen to the song that I made.
That is the factory where ships are made.

AではなくB (not A but B in formal speech)

What is important is not looks but personality.
What I’m good at is not English but Spanish.

AじゃなくてB (not A but B in casual speech)

There might be traffic so let's go by train, not by car.
I will actually have the meat, not the fish.
NOTE

A and B are both nouns.

Vocabulary

Romaji Hide|Display Default|Add to ▼
atsukau
godan verb, transitive verb
  1. to deal with (a person); to handle
iku
godan verb (iku/yuku), intransitive verb
  1. to go
uta
noun
  1. song (唄 is primarily used for shamisen songs)
eigo
noun, no adjective
  1. English (language)
gaiken
noun
  1. outward appearance
katana
noun
  1. sword (esp. Japanese single-edged); katana
gakkou
noun
  1. school
kamoshirenai
expression
  1. perhaps; may be
kara
particle
  1. because (follows verbs, adjectives)
kiku
godan verb, transitive verb
  1. to listen (e.g. to music) (esp. 聴く)
kudasai
expression
  1. please (do for me) (after te-form of a verb or a noun prefixed with o- or go-)
koujou
noun
  1. factory
gozaru
yondan verb (archaic), intransitive verb
  1. to be (usu. ございます in modern Japanese)
komu
godan verb, intransitive verb
  1. to be crowded; to be packed
jidai
noun
  1. period; era
supeingo
noun
  1. Spanish (language)
seikaku
noun
  1. character (of a person); personality

Kanji

Display Default|Add to ▼
Stroke Count
2 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. person
Readings
Kun'yomi: ひと、-と、-り。
On'yomi: ニン、ジン。
Stroke Count
3 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. large, big
Readings
Kun'yomi: おお、おお.きい、おお.いに、もと、まさる、ひろし、はじめ、とも、たかし、おう、わ、うふ、-おお.いに、おお-。
On'yomi: ダイ、ダ、タイ、タ。
Stroke Count
5 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. outside
Readings
Kun'yomi: そと、ほか、はず.す、はず.れる、と-。
On'yomi: ゲ、ガイ、ウイ。
Stroke Count
6 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. going, journey
Readings
Kun'yomi: い.く、ゆ.く、おこな.う、おこな.い、C、-い.き、-ゆ.き、-いき、-ゆき、おこ.なう。
On'yomi: C、A、ゴウ、コウ、アン、ヒン、A、ギョウ。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. see, hopes, chances, idea, opinion, look at, visible
Readings
Kun'yomi: み.る、み.える、み.せる。
On'yomi: ケン、ゲン。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. car
Readings
Kun'yomi: くるま。
On'yomi: シャ。
Stroke Count
8 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. study, learning, science
Readings
Kun'yomi: まな.ぶ、まな、まなぶ。
On'yomi: ガク。
Stroke Count
10 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. time, hour
Readings
Kun'yomi: とき、-どき。
On'yomi: ジ、シ。
Stroke Count
10 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. exam, school, printing, proof, correction
Readings
Kun'yomi: かせ。
On'yomi: ギョウ、キョウ、コウ。
Stroke Count
13 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. electricity
Readings
Kun'yomi: いなずま。
On'yomi: デン、テン。
Stroke Count
14 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. hear, ask, listen
Readings
Kun'yomi: き.く、き.こえる。
On'yomi: ブン、モン。
Stroke Count
14 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. word, speech, language
Readings
Kun'yomi: かた.る、かた.らう。
On'yomi: ゴ、ギョ。
Stroke Count
3 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. craft, construction, katakana e radical (no. 48)
Readings
Kun'yomi: たくみ、つかさ。
On'yomi: ク、コウ、グ。
Stroke Count
5 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. substitute, change, convert, replace, period, age, counter for decades of ages, eras, etc., generation, charge, rate, fee
Readings
Kun'yomi: か.(わ)る、か.える、よ、しろ、-がわ.り、か.わる、かわ.り、かわ.る。
On'yomi: ダイ、タイ。
Stroke Count
6 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. meat
Readings
Kun'yomi: しし。
On'yomi: ニク、ジク。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. make, production, prepare, build
Readings
Kun'yomi: つく.る、づくり、つく.り、づく.り、な.す、くり、まさか、あり、つくり、つくる、とも、なお、なり、ふか、-づく.り。
On'yomi: サク、サ、サッ。
Stroke Count
7 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. private, I, me
Readings
Kun'yomi: わたくし、わたし、わたくし.する、わし、ひそ.か。
On'yomi: シ。
Stroke Count
8 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. matter, thing, fact, business, reason, possibly
Readings
Kun'yomi: こと、つか.う、つか.える。
On'yomi: ジ、シ、ズ。
Stroke Count
8 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. bright, light
Readings
Kun'yomi: あか.るい、あき.らか、あ.ける、あけ、-あ.け、あ.く、あ.かす、あ.かり、あ.くる、あか.らむ、あか.るむ。
On'yomi: ミョウ、メイ、ミン。
Stroke Count
8 Strokes
English Meaning
  1. England, English
Readings
Kun'yomi: はな、はなぶさ。
On'yomi: ヨウ、エイ、エ。

Users following this video

Mio's boyfriend Krul-sama

Comments for this video

If you have a question or would like to make a comment on this video, please do so below. Your comment will appear in the forum for other users of the site to view and discuss.



Only registered users may post comments. You can register your free 楽しい Japanese account here.