僕の先輩たちは、純粋な好奇心を抱いて自分たちの疑問を自然に問いかけ、自然が答えるのを待った。

Sentence Analyzer

僕 の 先輩たち は 、 純粋な 好奇心 を 抱いて 自分たち の 疑問 を 自然 に 問いかけ 、 自然 が 答える の を 待った 。

English Translation

My predecessors had asked their questions of nature with genuine curiosity and awaited her reply.

Furigana

僕(ぼく)の先輩(せんぱい)たちは、純粋(じゅんすい)な好奇心(こうきしん)を抱(だ)いて自分(じぶん)たちの疑問(ぎもん)を自然(しぜん)に問(と)いかけ、自然(しぜん)が答(こた)えるのを待(ま)った。

Romanji

Boku no senpaitachi wa, junsuina kōkishin o daite jibuntachi no gimon o shizen ni toikake, shizen ga kotaeru no o matta.

Words

僕 (ぼく)

I; me; you; manservant

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

は (は)

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

純粋 (じゅんすい)

pure; true; genuine; unmixed

好奇心 (こうきしん)

curiosity; inquisitiveness

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.

抱く (いだく、だく、うだく)

to embrace; to hold in the arms (e.g. a baby); to hug; to harbour (e.g. grudge) (harbor); to bear (e.g. a grudge); to entertain (e.g. suspicion); to have sex with; to make love to; to sleep with; to sit on eggs

疑問 (ぎもん)

question; problem; doubt; guess

自然 (しぜん)

nature; spontaneity; naturally; spontaneously

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

問いかける (といかける)

to ask a question; to begin to ask a question

が (が)

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

答える (こたえる)

to answer; to reply

待つ (まつ)

to wait; to await; to look forward to; to anticipate; to depend on; to need

Kanji

僕

Readings: ボク、 しもべ

Meanings: me, I (male)

先

Readings: セン、 さき、 ま.ず

Meanings: before, ahead, previous, future, precedence

輩

Readings: ハイ、 -ばら、 やから、 やかい、 ともがら

Meanings: comrade, fellow, people, companions

純

Reading: ジュン

Meanings: genuine, purity, innocence, net (profit)

粋

Readings: スイ、 いき

Meanings: chic, style, purity, essence, pith, cream, elite, choice

好

Readings: コウ、 この.む、 す.く、 よ.い、 い.い

Meanings: fond, pleasing, like something

奇

Readings: キ、 く.しき、 あや.しい、 くし、 めずら.しい

Meanings: strange, strangeness, curiosity

心

Readings: シン、 こころ、 -ごころ

Meanings: heart, mind, spirit, heart radical (no. 61)

抱

Readings: ホウ、 だ.く、 いだ.く、 かか.える

Meanings: embrace, hug, hold in arms

自

Readings: ジ、 シ、 みずか.ら、 おの.ずから、 おの.ずと

Meaning: oneself

分

Readings: ブン、 フン、 ブ、 わ.ける、 わ.け、 わ.かれる、 わ.かる、 わ.かつ

Meanings: part, minute of time, segment, share, degree, one's lot, duty, understand, know, rate, 1%, chances, shaku/100

疑

Readings: ギ、 うたが.う

Meanings: doubt, distrust, be suspicious, question

問

Readings: モン、 と.う、 と.い、 とん

Meanings: question, ask, problem

然

Readings: ゼン、 ネン、 しか、 しか.り、 しか.し、 さ

Meanings: sort of thing, so, if so, in that case, well

答

Readings: トウ、 こた.える、 こた.え

Meanings: solution, answer

待

Readings: タイ、 ま.つ、 -ま.ち

Meanings: wait, depend on