141 - Blood Types, Part 2

Hey there fellow netizens!

So I did some research on blood types while preparing for the second part of the lesson (you can find Part #1 here). Apparently the hype became so big and out of proportion that they started to hire people or give assignments based on blood types.

Can you imagine this in your culture?

"I'm sorry, Sir, this is a Gemini-free workplace, and we want to keep it that way."

So now we have ブラハラ、(ぶらはら / blood-type harassment). Things were getting out of hand and now this has turned into a touchy subject (to some extent). I guess the golden rule of "just be nice and don't make stupid assumptions" applies anywhere.

Now, as long as you'll keep in mind that this lesson is only here to teach you about daily Japanese conversation and not to brainwash you into stereotyping people, you'll be good.

Last time we talked about type A and type B personalities... how A is... well, the 'straight A student' kind of personality, and type B the rowdy, adventure-seeking free spirit.

How about the other types?


Well, allow me to present you type AB:

Their good traits are: cool, rational, sociable, adaptable, but sometimes they can get critical, indecisive, forgetful and irresponsible.

池田:
黒崎君は何型かしら?
くろさき くん は なにがた かしら?
(I) Wonder what blood type is Kurosaki-kun.
Literally: "Kurosaki くん + is + what type + (I) wonder."

Note: The part that makes this sentence 'womanly' is the かしら. It is predominantly used by mature women.

田中:
性格からすればAB型だろう。
せいかく から すれば ABがた だろう。
Judging from the personality, (I'd say) he's an AB type, right?
Literally: "Personality + from + if make + AB type + right?"
Note: What makes this sentence 'manly' is the だろう which has shown up in Niko's previous lessons (particularly #85, #86, & #90).

Wait a second, what is this "from + if make" thing? It makes no sense!

Well, let me introduce you to the following expression:


Noun + から+すれば.

It means 'judging from.' A more accurate explanation would be: "judging or examining something from a certain perspective."

That "certain perspective" is the noun in front of it.

So another example would be:

成績からすれば彼は優秀ですね。
せいせき から すれば かれ は ゆうしゅう です ね。
Judging from his grades he is excellent/superior, isn't he?
Literally: "Grades + from + if make + he + is + superior, isn't he?"


Now picking up where we left off:

池田:
確かに冷静で人気者ですね。
たしかに れいせい で にんきもの です ね。
(He is) indeed composed and popular, right?
Literally: "Indeed + composed + popular person + right?"

田中:
あと忘れん坊だよな?
あと わすれんぼう だよな?
And a forgetful person, right?
Literally: "And + forgetful person + right?"

Note: What makes this sentence 'manly' is the 'だよな' at the ending, which is the masculine version of 'ですよね'

池田:
そうですね。絶対AB型ですね。
そうですね。 ぜったい ABがた です ね。
I know, right? (He's) definitely type AB, right?
Literally: "It's so + isn't it? + definitely + AB type + right?"


Now, on to our last blood type, type O:

They are known to be confident, self-determined, optimistic, strong-willed, intuitive, but also self-centered, cold, doubtful, unpredictable and "workaholic."

池田:
野村さんはO型ですかね。
のむら さん は Oがた ですかね。
I wonder if Nomura-san is type O.
Literally: "Nomura + さん + is + type O + (I) wonder."

黒崎:
そうだけど。なんで分かった?
そう だけど。 なんで わかった?
Well, yes. How did you know?
Literally: "Yes + But. Why + know?"

Note: This 'そうだけど' translates well into "well, yes," as it gives a similar impression of slight surprise from the speaker, and it is usually followed by a question.

池田:
大変な時でもポジティブでいられるところかな。
たいへん な とき でも ポジティブ で いられる ところ かな。
Maybe it's because (she) can stay positive even at difficult times.
Literally: "Difficult + times + even + positive + で + can remain + part/place + (I) wonder/maybe."

Note 1: You may have learned until now that 'でも' usually translates into 'but.' It can also mean 'even,' like in the sentence above.

Note 2: 'ところ' usually means 'place,' but it can also be used when describing someone, in which case it translates as 'part' (of someones 'character), just like in English, when you say "I like that part of you."

Well, that's all for today folks. I hope you got an idea of the traits of each blood type.

See you next time!


This lesson was written by Adriana, a guest contributor.


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