Japanese with Manga

Underutilized talent with 才能

Kanji Explanation: Ability and capability with 能

Manga panel from くノ一ツバキの胸の内 showing example of Underutilized talent with 才能.
くノ一ツバキの胸の内 » Volume 1 » Page 151

During a free day from training, Touwata and Mizubashou approach Tsubaki to request a favor. She would like Tsubaki to challenge Benisumomo to a one-on-one fight.

トウワタ:
「そのですね…　ベニセンパイは才能(さいのう)があるのにそれにかまけて、ぜんっぜん努力(どりょく)しないんです。」
“Well, you see... Beni-senpai has talent, but she takes it for granted and doesn't put in any effort at all.”
Literal: “Well... Beni-senpai has talent, but she relies on that and doesn't make any effort at all.”
「いっつも一人(ひとり)で昼寝(ひるね)するってどっか行(い)って。」
“She always go off somewhere to take a nap alone.”

Key Points

1才能(さいのう) = “talent” here means natural ability
  • 才能(さいのう) refers to innate aptitude rather than a skill someone mainly built through practice.
  • Here, ベニセンパイは才能(さいのう)がある sets up the complaint: Beni-senpai already has the natural ability.
2それにかまけて = “resting on that” and neglecting other effort
  • Ⓐにかまけて means “to get wrapped up in Ⓐ and neglect something else”.
  • それ refers back to 才能(さいのう), so the idea is: she is coasting on her talent.
  • A natural full reading is: 才能(さいのう)があるのに、それにかまけて、努力(どりょく)しない “Even though she has talent, she leans on that and doesn’t make an effort.”
3いっつも…ってどっか行(い)って is very casual spoken narration
  • いっつも is a casual, chatty version of いつも.
  • 一人(ひとり)で 昼寝(ひるね)するって uses って as a casual quote marker: “saying she’s going to nap alone”.
  • どっか is casual どこか (“somewhere”), and どっか行(い)って means she goes off somewhere.
  • A fuller reconstruction is: 『一人(ひとり)で 昼寝(ひるね)する』って、どこかへ行(い)って。.

Vocabulary

(Talent)

才能(さいのう) means talent or aptitude in a particular field. It often suggests a natural gift, though training can also develop it.

(Effort)

努力(どりょく) means sustained effort or hard work toward a goal.

(Nap)

昼寝(ひるね) means a daytime nap or siesta.

(To go)

行(い)く means to go or move toward a place away from the speaker.

See Also

くノ一ツバキの胸の内 © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.