| Koinobori Song | |
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May 5 is Japan's national holiday, Kodomo no hi (Children's day). People express hope that each boy in the family will grow up healthy and strong by flying Koinobori (carp-shaped streamers).
Here is the Koinobori song.
Yane yori takai koinobori
Ookii magoi wa otousan
Chiisai higoi wa kodomotachi
Omoshirosouni oyoideru
屋根より高い 鯉のぼり
大きい真鯉は お父さん
小さい緋鯉は 子供達
面白そうに 泳いでる
Vocabulary
| yane 屋根 |
roof |
| takai 高い |
high |
| ookii 大きい |
big |
| otousan お父さん |
father |
| chiisai 小さい |
small |
| kodomotachi 子供達 |
children |
| omoshiroi 面白い |
enjoyable |
| oyogu 泳ぐ |
to swim |
Grammar
"Yori （より）" is a particle and used when comparing things. It translates into "than".
| Kanada wa nihon yori samui desu. カナダは日本より寒いです。 |
Canada is colder than Japan. |
| Amerika wa nihon yori ookii desu. アメリカは日本より大きいです。 |
America is larger than Japan. |
In the song, Koinobori is the topic of the sentence (the order is changed because of the rhyme), therefore, "koinobori wa yane yori takai desu （鯉のぼりは屋根より高いです）" is the correct sentence. It means "koinobori is higher than the roof."
Click here to hear this song.
