人間は一本のアシに過ぎず、その本性はきわめて弱いが、人間は考える葦である。

Sentence Analyzer

人間は一本のあしに過ぎず、その本性はきわめて弱いが、人間は考える葦である。

English Translation

Man is but a reed, the weakest in nature, but he is a thinking reed.

Furigana

人間(にんげん)は一(いち)本(ほん)のアシに過(す)ぎず、その本性(ほんしょう)はきわめて弱(よわ)いが、人間(にんげん)は考(かんが)える葦(あし)である。

Romanji

Ningen wa ichi hon no ashi ni sugizu, sono honshō wa kiwamete yowai ga, ningen wa kangaeru ashi de aru.

Words

人間 (にんげん)

human being; person; man; mankind; humankind; character (of a person)

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

一 (いち)

one; best; first; foremost; beginning; start; bottom string (on a shamisen, etc.)

本 (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

の (の)

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

葦 (あし、よし、アシ、ヨシ)

common reed (Phragmites australis)

に (に)

at (place, time); in; on; during; to (direction, state); toward; into; for (purpose); because of (reason); for; with; by; from; as (i.e. in the role of); per; in; for; a (e.g. "once a month"); and; in addition to; if; although

過ぎる (すぎる)

to pass through; to pass by; to go beyond; to pass (i.e. of time); to elapse; to have expired; to have ended; to be over; to exceed; to surpass; to be above; to be no more than ...; to be excessive; to be too much; to be too ...

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...

本性 (ほんしょう、ほんせい)

true character; real nature

極めて (きわめて)

exceedingly; extremely; decisively

弱い (よわい)

weak; frail; delicate; tender; unskilled; weak (wine)

が (が)

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

考える (かんがえる)

to think about; to take into consideration; to ponder; to reflect; to try to come at a conclusion; to think over (something); to intend; to decide (to do); to plan; to come up with; to devise; to scheme; to predict; to anticipate; to expect; to suspect; to doubt; to consider (somebody to be something); to look on

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative

或 (ある)

a certain ...; some ...