This site will be taken down March 31st, 2026.

This was not an easy decision to make. For the last couple years, I have been struggling to find motivation for this site and to keep up with basic maintenance and security updates. With the rise of AI and more sophisticated tools, the usefulness of sites like this is questionable and traffic has nose-dived. I just don't have it in me to keep doing this. Thank you all for 10 years of support!

Zach

そしてまもなくショベルカーがやってきて、ひなぎくの花でいっぱいの丘を掘って道路をつくりはじめました。

Sentence Analyzer

そして まもなく ショベルカー やってきて ひな ぎく いっぱい 掘って 道路 つくりはじめました

English Translation

Pretty soon along came a steam shovel and dug a road through the hill covered with daisies.

Furigana

そしてまもなくショベルカーがやってきて、ひなぎくの(はな)でいっぱいの(おか)()って道路(どうろ)をつくりはじめました。

Romanji

Soshite mamonaku shoberuka- ga yattekite, hina giku no hana de ippai no oka o hotte dōro o tsukurihajimemashita.

Words

然して (そして、しかして)
and; and then; thus; and now
間もなく (まもなく)
soon; before long; in a short time; lacking time to ...; without time to ...
ショベルカー (ショベルカー、シャベルカー、ショベル・カー、シャベル・カー)
digger; excavator; power shovel
()
indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and
やって来る (やってくる)
to come along; to come around; to turn up; to arrive at the present; to get where one is; to have been doing something (for a period of time)
(ひよこ、ひな、ひよっこ、ヒナ)
young bird; chick; hina doll; doll displayed during the Girls' Festival; green; wet behind the ears; juvenile
疑懼 (ぎく)
apprehension; uneasiness
()
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
(はな)
flower; blossom; bloom; petal; cherry blossom; beauty; blooming (esp. of cherry blossoms); ikebana; Japanese playing cards; beauty; (the) best
(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.
一杯 (いっぱい)
amount necessary to fill a container (e.g. cupful, spoonful, etc.); drink (usu. alcoholic); full; one squid, octopus, crab, etc.; one boat; fully; to capacity; a lot; much; all of ...; the entire ...
(おか)
hill; height; knoll; rising ground; bonus points awarded to the winner at the end of a game
()
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.
掘る (ほる)
to dig; to excavate; to hollow; to delve into; to dig up (e.g. vegetables); (for two men) to have anal sex
道路 (どうろ)
road; highway
作る (つくる)
to make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct; to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol); to raise; to grow; to cultivate; to train; to till; to draw up (a document); to make out; to prepare; to write; to create (an artistic work, etc.); to compose; to coin (a phrase); to organize; to organise; to establish; to found; to have (a child); to make up (one's face, etc.); to fabricate (an excuse, etc.); to form (a line, etc.); to set (a record); to commit (a sin, etc.)

Kanji

Readings: カ、 ケ、 はな
Meaning: flower
Readings: キュウ、 おか
Meanings: hill, knoll
Readings: クツ、 ほ.る
Meanings: dig, delve, excavate
Readings: ドウ、 トウ、 みち
Meanings: road-way, street, district, journey, course, moral, teachings
Readings: ロ、 ル、 -じ、 みち
Meanings: path, route, road, distance