Japanese with Manga
Learning through examples in manga

Keeping my dad company with 相手

Kanji Explanation: Mutuality and appearance with 相

Manga panel from ARIA The MASTERPIECE showing example of Keeping my dad company with 相手.
ARIA The MASTERPIECE » Volume 2 » Page 31

Akari encounters an older gentleman looking for a police box, so he can report his missing daughter and son-in-law. Akari offers to take him around and see if they can find the couple. Once they are reunited, the daughter thanks Akari for finding her father.

娘(むすめ):
「迷子(まいご)になった父(ちち)の相手(あいて)をするの大変(たいへん)でしたでしょ？」
“It must have been tough dealing with my dad when he got lost, right?”
「本当(ほんとう)ガンコおやじで…」
“He really is a stubborn old man...”
父(とう)さん:
「迷子(まいご)と言(い)うなっ」
“Don't say lost!”
「うるさい」
“Annoying...”

Key Points

  1. 相手(あいて)をする = to deal with or keep someone company

    • In this scene, 相手(あいて)をする means Akari had to look after the father and stay with him.

    • It is more than just “opponent” or “partner”; the expression means taking on someone as the person you are occupied with.

  2. の turns the father into the person being dealt with

    • 迷子(まいご)になった父(ちち)の 相手(あいて)をする means “to deal with the father who got lost”.

    • The clause before の describes which father she is talking about.

  3. でしたでしょ asks for agreement

    • 大変(たいへん)でしたでしょ？ means “that was tough, right?”

    • The daughter assumes the effort was obvious and asks for confirmation sympathetically.

See Also