Japanese with Manga
Learning through examples in manga

Promising suitors with 有能

Kanji Explanation: Ability and capability with 能

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Promising suitors with 有能.
名探偵コナン » Volume 9 » Page 120

Detective Mouri is invited as a special guest to the birthday party for Reika, daughter of the Yotsui Group’s chairman. At the event, Reika announces her intent to marry.

霊化(れいか):
「そう思(おも)って今日(きょう)のパーティーにも、有能(ゆうのう)そうな男性(だんせい)を数人(すうにん)、お招(まね)きしてますわ…」
“With that in mind, I've invited several promising gentlemen to today's party...”

Key Points

  1. 有能(ゆうのう) = capable or competent

    • Here 有能(ゆうのう) describes men she sees as highly capable.

    • The translation “promising” fits the matchmaking context, but the core meaning is “competent”.

  2. そうな means “seeming” or “looking”

    • 有能(ゆうのう)そうな男性(だんせい) means “men who seem capable”.

    • She is judging from outward impression and status.

  3. お招(まね)きしてますわ sounds refined and ladylike

    • The honorific お and sentence ending わ fit Reika’s elegant, upper-class speech.