Megumi Fushiguro’s line from Jujutsu Kaisen: “I’m not a hero. I’m a sorcerer.” Let’s learn Japanese based on this line
Basic Meaning and Nuance of the Phrase
In Japanese: “俺はヒーローじゃない呪術師なんだ”
In Hiragana: “おれはひーろーじゃないじゅじゅつしなんだ”
In Romaji: “ore ha hiro ja nai jujutsushi nanda”
Translation: “I’m not a hero. I’m a sorcerer”
Nuance:
This is a line uttered by Fushiguro Megumi, when he accepts himself, who is choosing the people he saves.
This is not a statement about a general measure of right and wrong; it is a declaration by Fushiguro Megumi himself, expressing his resolution to help those he wants to help. It represents a determination to follow one’s own will, not conforming to what others or society demand.
Explanation of the Grammar Structure
Let’s break down the phrase:
- 俺（おれ） is a first-person pronoun, equivalent to “I” in English, often used by males in informal settings.
- は is the topic marker, equivalent to “as for” in English.
- ヒーロー is a loanword from English, meaning “hero.”
- じゃない is the negative form of です (is/am/are), meaning “is not,” “am not,” or “are not.”
- 呪術師（じゅじゅつし） means “sorcerer” or “shaman.”
- なんだ is an explanatory tone particle used for emphasis or clarification, could be translated as “it is that” or “it means that.”
Thus, the literal translation of each part would be: “As for me, (I) am not a hero; (I) am a sorcerer.”
Using in Everyday Conversation
While this specific phrase might not be commonly used in everyday conversation, understanding its structure can help in constructing similar sentences in Japanese.
For example, you can use the structure: [Subject] は [X] じゃない、[Y] なんだ to emphasize what something is not and assert what it is.
Example:
If you want to say “I am not a student; I am a teacher,” you could say: 「俺は生徒じゃない、先生なんだ」
Remember, using 俺 is more informal and masculine, so depending on the situation, you might want to use a different pronoun like 私（わたし） which is more formal and neutral.
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