ホーキングは、その本の執筆を始めたとき、手で書くことがまったくできなかった。

Sentence Analyzer

ホーキング その 執筆 始めた とき 書く こと まったく できなかった

English Translation

When he started the book, Hawking was unable to write by hand at all.

Furigana

ホーキングは、その(ほん)執筆(しっぴつ)(はじ)めたとき、()()くことがまったくできなかった。

Romanji

Ho-Kingu wa, sono hon no shippitsu o hajimeta toki, te de kaku koto ga mattaku dekinakatta.

Words

()
topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis
其の (その)
that (something or someone distant from the speaker, close to the listener; actions of the listener, or ideas expressed or understood by the listener); the; um...; er...; uh...
(ほん)
book; volume; script; this; present; main; head; real; regular; counter for long cylindrical things; counter for films, TV shows, etc.; counter for goals, home runs, etc.; counter for telephone calls
()
indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question
執筆 (しっぴつ)
writing (e.g. as a profession)
()
indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.
始める (はじめる)
to start; to begin; to commence; to initiate; to originate; to open (e.g. a store); to start up; to establish (business. etc.); to start ...; to begin to ...
とき (とき)
regular (stops at every station) Jouetsu-line Shinkansen
()
hand; arm; forepaw; foreleg; handle; hand; worker; help; trouble; care; effort; means; way; trick; move; technique; workmanship; hand; handwriting; kind; type; sort; one's hands; one's possession; ability to cope; hand (of cards); direction; move (in go, shogi, etc.)
(で、にて)
indicates location of action; at; in; indicates time of action; indicates means of action; cause of effect; by; and then; so; indicates continuing action; indicates certainty, emphasis, etc.
書く (かく)
to write; to compose; to pen; to draw; to paint
(こと、こん)
thing; matter; incident; occurrence; event; something serious; trouble; crisis; circumstances; situation; state of affairs; work; business; affair; after an inflectable word, creates a noun phrase indicating something the speaker does not feel close to; nominalizing suffix; pretending to ...; playing make-believe ...; alias; aka; nickname; alternative name; also known as
()
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and
全く (まったく)
really; truly; entirely; completely; wholly; perfectly; indeed; good grief (expression of exasperation)
出来る (できる)
to be able (in a position) to do; to be up to the task; to be ready; to be completed; to be made; to be built; to be good at; to be permitted (to do); to become intimate; to take up (with somebody); to grow; to be raised; to become pregnant

Kanji

Readings: ホン、 もと
Meanings: book, present, main, origin, true, real, counter for long cylindrical things
Readings: シツ、 シュウ、 と.る
Meanings: tenacious, take hold, grasp, take to heart
Readings: ヒツ、 ふで
Meanings: writing brush, writing, painting brush, handwriting
Readings: シ、 はじ.める、 -はじ.める、 はじ.まる
Meanings: commence, begin
Readings: シュ、 ズ、 て、 て-、 -て、 た-
Meaning: hand
Readings: ショ、 か.く、 -が.き、 -がき
Meaning: write