彼が秘密を打ち明け始めるとみんな聞き耳をたてた。

Sentence Analyzer

彼 が 秘密 を 打ち明け始める と みんな 聞き耳 を たてた 。

English Translation

We were all ears when he started to tell us his secret.

Furigana

彼(かれ)が秘密(ひみつ)を打(う)ち明(あ)け始(はじ)めるとみんな聞(きみみ)き耳()をたてた。

Romanji

Kare ga himitsu o uchiakehajimeru to minna kikimimi o tateta.

Words

彼 (かれ)

he; him; his; boyfriend

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

秘密 (ひみつ)

secret; secrecy; confidentiality; privacy; secret; mystery; esoteric teachings

を (を)

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.

打ち開ける (ぶちあける)

to forcefully open up a hole (in a wall, etc.); to speak frankly, holding nothing back; to throw out everything inside

と (と)

if; when; and; with; particle used for quoting (with speech, thoughts, etc.); quoting particle; promoted pawn; indicates question (sentence end)

皆 (みな、みんな)

all; everyone; everybody; everything

聞き耳 (ききみみ)

straining one's ears

建てる (たてる)

to build; to construct

Kanji

彼

Readings: ヒ、 かれ、 かの、 か.の

Meanings: he, that, the

秘

Readings: ヒ、 ひ.める、 ひそ.か、 かく.す

Meanings: secret, conceal

密

Readings: ミツ、 ひそ.か

Meanings: secrecy, density (pop), minuteness, carefulness

打

Readings: ダ、 ダアス、 う.つ、 う.ち-、 ぶ.つ

Meanings: strike, hit, knock, pound, dozen

明

Readings: メイ、 ミョウ、 ミン、 あ.かり、 あか.るい、 あか.るむ、 あか.らむ、 あき.らか、 あ.ける、 -あ.け、 あ.く、 あ.くる、 あ.かす

Meanings: bright, light

始

Readings: シ、 はじ.める、 -はじ.める、 はじ.まる

Meanings: commence, begin

聞

Readings: ブン、 モン、 き.く、 き.こえる

Meanings: hear, ask, listen

耳

Readings: ジ、 みみ

Meaning: ear