Hidden behind the short hand with 短針
Kanji Explanation: Shortness and brevity with 短
Asuka Jr. is tasked with guarding a jeweled tiara, which Saint Tail has stated her intention to steal. The owner tells Asuka Jr. it’s been hidden behind the short hand on a clock tower, so Asuka Jr. waits below the face of the clock for Saint Tail’s arrival. He tells the owner that Saint Tail will likely arrive precisely at 6 o’clock.
- アスカ Jr.:
- 「ここから短針に手がとどくのは六時だけです」
- “The hour hand is only within reach from here at six o'clock.”
- 「ほかの時間と針からティアラを盗みだすのは不可能なんですよ」
- “At any other time, it would be impossible to steal the tiara from the hand, you see.”
Key Points
- The short hand shows the hour. At six o’clock it points downward, within reach of someone waiting below the clock face.
- In Ⓐに手がとどく, Ⓐ is what someone’s hand can reach. Here ここから specifies the starting point, “from here”.
- The dialogue writes 届く in kana as とどく. It describes physical reach in this scene.
- の turns the preceding clause into a noun phrase, and は makes it the topic. The sentence identifies when the hour hand is within reach.
- だけ limits that time to six o’clock. It does not mean “until six” or “for six hours”.
- ほかの modifies 時間. Here it refers to times other than six o’clock, when the hour hand is out of reach.
- なんです is the contracted form of なのです after 不可能, “impossible”. It presents the statement as an explanation.
- Final よ draws the listener’s attention to this information. Asuka Jr. is explaining the timing of the theft.
Vocabulary
短針 (Hour hand)
短針 means the short hand of a clock, which shows the hour.
手 (Hand)
手 is a hand. It also means a way or means, or help from someone.
とどく (To reach)
とどく is to reach something, or for something to arrive at its destination. It is also written 届く.
ほか (Other)
ほか means another person, thing, or place, other than the one mentioned. It is also written 他.
時間 (Time)
時間 is time, or an amount of time. It also means an hour, or a set time for something.
針 (Needle)
針 is a needle, or the hand of a clock.
ティアラ (Tiara)
ティアラ is a tiara, a jeweled crown worn by princesses and brides.
不可能 (Impossible)
不可能 describes something that cannot be done or cannot happen.
See Also
- Kanji: Shortness and brevity with 短
- Grammar: Limiting with 〜だけ
- Grammar: Reasoning with 〜のだ
- Grammar: Informing with よ
- Kanji: Ability and capability with 能
- Kanji: Hands and skill with 手
- Kanji: Negation and lack with 不
- Kanji: Spaces and intervals with 間
- Kanji: Time and occasions with 時