Japanese with Manga

Tracking device performance with 性能

Kanji Explanation: Ability and capability with 能

Manga panel from 名探偵コナン showing example of Tracking device performance with 性能.
名探偵コナン » Volume 2 » Page 57

Professor Agasa gives Conan a tracking device. He eagerly looks for an opportunity to see how it works.

コナン:
「そうだ！蘭(らん)に付(つ)けてこれの性能(せいのう)試(ため)してみっか！！」
“I know! I'll stick it on Ran and see how it performs!!”
Literal: “That's it! Maybe I'll attach it to Ran and try testing this thing's performance!!”

Key Points

1性能(せいのう) = performance or capability
  • Here 性能(せいのう) refers to how well the tracking device works.
2これの性能(せいのう) points to the gadget in hand
  • これ means “this one” or “this thing”, namely the tracker Agasa gave Conan.
  • The phrase means “this thing’s performance”.
3The object marker を is dropped after 性能(せいのう)
  • With を restored, これの性能(せいのう)を試(ため)してみっか means “shall I try testing this thing’s performance?”
  • これの性能(せいのう) is the object of 試(ため)す. Casual speech can omit を when the meaning is clear.
  • Earlier, 蘭(らん)に付(つ)けて leaves the device itself unstated. A fuller version is これを蘭(らん)に付(つ)けて, “attach this to Ran”.
4試(ため)してみっか is casual “shall I try testing it?”
  • 試(ため)してみっか is a rough spoken version of 試(ため)してみるか.

Vocabulary

(Performance)

性能(せいのう) means the performance or capability of a machine or product.

See Also

名探偵コナン © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.