Lyrics & Translation
"Ōkina Kabu" is a delightful and engaging Japanese children's song based on a beloved Russian folktale. Its simple, repetitive phrases like "うんとこしょ、どっこいしょ" and heartwarming story of teamwork make it an excellent choice for beginner Japanese learners to grasp basic vocabulary and sentence structures in a fun and memorable way. Through its cumulative narrative, you can learn about sequence, animal names, and action verbs, while also experiencing a cherished piece of Japanese children's culture.
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
|
おおきな ōkina A1 |
|
|
かぶ kabu A1 |
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おじいさん ojīsan A1 |
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育て sodate A2 |
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畑 hatake A2 |
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まいた maita A2 |
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たね tane A1 |
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できました dekimashita A1 |
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ひっぱる hipparu A1 |
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おばあさん obāsan A1 |
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まご mago A1 |
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いぬ inu A1 |
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ねこ neko A1 |
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ねずみ nezumi A2 |
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小さい chiisai A1 |
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力持ち chikaramochi B1 |
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みんな minna A1 |
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抜ける nukemashita A2 |
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Do you remember what “おおきな” or “かぶ” means in "おおきなかぶ"?
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Key Grammar Structures
-
働き者のおじいさんが**大事に大事に** 株を育てていました。
➔ Adverbial repetition for emphasis (大事に大事に)
➔ The repetition of the adverb "大事に" (carefully) enhances the meaning of 'very carefully' or 'with great care'.
-
ある朝、畑に行ってみると、 とっても大きな株が**ありました**。
➔ Past tense of the existence verb "あります" (arimasu), indicating the existence of something.
➔ The past tense "ありました" (arimashita) describes the state of something existing at a specific time in the past.
-
おじいさんの まいた かぶのたねから おおきなかぶが **できました**
➔ Past tense of "できる" (dekiru), meaning "to be made" or "to be able to", but here it signifies "was made" or "came to be".
➔ "できました" shows that the large turnip came into existence as a result of the seeds being planted.
-
かぶをひっぱる おじいさん（ほっ！） **よいしょ**
➔ Onomatopoeia used to express effort and exertion.
➔ The word "よいしょ" (yoisho) is a sound effect indicating the effort being put into pulling the turnip.
-
おおきなかぶは **ぬけません**
➔ Negative form of the verb "抜ける" (nukeru), meaning "to come out" or "to be pulled out".
➔ "ぬけません" (nukemasen) means "it won't come out" or "it won't be pulled out", showing the difficulty of the task.
-
おばあさん、**手伝っておくれ**。
➔ Imperative form of the verb "手伝う" (tetsudau), meaning "to help", combined with "おくれ", a request form expressing a gentle command.
➔ This sentence is a polite request for the grandmother to help.
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おおきなかぶは ぬけません ああ、**びくともしないね**。
➔ Exclamatory sentence with emphasis on the stubbornness of the turnip.
➔ "びくともしないね" (bikutomo shinai ne) expresses the feeling that the turnip is not moving at all.
-
私も**手伝うよ**。
➔ Informal/plain form of the verb 手伝う (tetsudau) indicating a willingness to help.
➔ The use of "よ" (yo) adds emphasis and conveys the speaker's firm intention to help.
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