れんとげん ことしのおもいで これいちまい
My memory
for this whole year?
This one x-ray
Notes:
I think it’s poking fun at having no pictures of friends or family or fun things you did, just having the x-ray being the only picture you have from this year.
5 Likes
レントゲン きょうねんのおもいで これいちまい
3-5-3
Memento
of this year: just this
one x-ray.
I took これ一枚 to mean “this one picture/photo/x-ray.”
The implication seems to be that the x-ray had quite important ramifications for the writer. So much so that all other 枚 type of objects (writings/pictures/et) are deemed not as memorable.
If my reading is correct, it is quite a poignant 川柳, which is unusual (at least in terms of what I’ve seen so far).
3 Likes
Wednesday, July 20, 2022
Previous senryu
- レントゲン 今年の思い出 これ一枚
レントゲン・きょうねんのおもいで・これいちまい
This one sheet, / this year’s memento: / an x-ray
Notes:
-
to @superelf94 and @LaVieQ -
I decided to go with as word-for-word of a translation as possible to let the reader interpret the meaning.
-
I’m an optimist. I prefer superelf’s slight less poignant interpretation, and refuse to consider the possibility that the image actually showed anything scary.
Current senryu challenge
Volume: Husbands
- 評判の愛妻弁当自作です
I love this one! I don’t think any hints are necessary, but an image search for 愛妻弁当 might be informative.
Remember to please use the spoiler tag with your translation attempts! Also, please include the reading in kana with your submission.
Everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter your level!
Online tools like dictionaries, sentence databases, and even AI translation engines are fair game and can be extremely helpful. Yomichan is particularly handy if you use the Chrome or Firefox browser. The 語源由来辞典 is also an excellent resource for researching the etymology of various words and expressions.
Here are the links to the 356 Japanese originals (spoiler free) and to the the spreadsheet with all the upcoming senryu as well as the translations to date.
3 Likes
ひょうばんの あいさいべんとう じさくです
My famous
wife-packed lunch box
is self-made
I’m totally cool with changing “lunch box” into “bento” since many people know what a bento is and it’s become international.
This is very fun! also a big fan of the bento that’s mainly rice with くそ written in nori on top
4 Likes
ひょうばんの あいさいべんとう じさくです
4-5-4
Loving wife’s much
admired bento - in
fact, my handwork.
There’s a movie in there somewhere: “Psycho Bento!” Or perhaps a hit song: “Menace in a bento…” 
Didn’t know that メッセージ弁当 is a real thing!!!
4 Likes
Thursday, July 21, 2022
Previous senryu
- 評判の愛妻弁当自作です
ひょうばんの・あいさいべんとう・じさくです
My famous / wife-packed lunch box / is self-made
Notes:
-
to @superelf94
-
to @LaVieQ -
Tough call today, but I think “handwork” emphasizes that it was made by hand rather than machine. I think the normal phrasing for “something I made” (vs. something made by another) would be “my handiwork”. Apologies, I know this is absurdly nit-picky, but I had to make a call.
-
The メッセージ弁当 link was great fun. I particularly like the somehow edgy and intimidating font used for this one:
Somehow I hear Bartok or the score from Psycho more than anything soft and relaxing!
Current senryu challenge
Volume: Children
- 腹の子が胸なでおろす披露宴
I’m not even going to pretend I understand this one. Help!
I think なでおろす is 撫で下ろす. Relevant dictionary entry:
ほっと胸をなで下ろす give [heave] a (deep) sigh of relief; feel (greatly) relieved.
We had our 披露宴 in Japan before our formal wedding in the US. Seemed a little strange but it worked out great since we could have more people attend in total.
The etymology of 披露宴 apparently comes from 拡める and involves spreading the news of a couple’s setting out on their own.
Remember to please use the spoiler tag with your translation attempts! Also, please include the reading in kana with your submission.
Everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter your level!
Online tools like dictionaries, sentence databases, and even AI translation engines are fair game and can be extremely helpful. Yomichan is particularly handy if you use the Chrome or Firefox browser. The 語源由来辞典 is also an excellent resource for researching the etymology of various words and expressions.
Here are the links to the 356 Japanese originals (spoiler free) and to the the spreadsheet with all the upcoming senryu as well as the translations to date.
1 Like
はらのこが むねなでおろす ひろうえん
My interpretation is that this is a 出来ちゃった結婚, and the idea is the unborn baby can relax now because they’ve made it to the wedding reception and the parents are thus safely married.
unborn kid can / finally relax / wedding banquet
4 Likes
Yes, the core of @pm215 's characterization is also what came to mind after I read the meaning of 胸を撫で下ろす…
Having read your hint and his version, I’ll pass on translating this one.
2 Likes
Friday, July 22, 2022
Previous senryu
- 腹の子が胸なでおろす披露宴
はらのこが・むねなでおろす・ひろうえん
unborn kid can / finally relax / wedding banquet
-
to @pm215
-
Thanks for helping me figure this out! 腹の子 had me confused. I think @pm215 nailed it: “The idea is the unborn baby can relax now because they’ve made it to the wedding reception and the parents are thus safely married”.
Current senryu challenge
Volume: Intense
- 株下がり何故かうれしいわたしたち
Hmm. I feel like I should understand this one, having worked at so many startups. I think I get it, or at least I have an interpretation from my own experience that makes sense, but I’m not 100% sure it’s what the author intended.
I’ve worked at companies where I felt the leadership was driving a company I cared about off a cliff. It was easy for them to ignore employees comments and concerns while the stock was flying high. It never ceased to amaze me how many VCs, board members, and silly-con valley executives would attribute all successes to their own genius, but negative results were, of course, inevitably due to the actions and ideas of others.
I’m embarrassed to admit I had to use a dictionary even though I ostensibly already “knew” all these characters. For some reason, 株 on it’s lonesome looked unfamiliar (I’d have recognized it instantly in 株式会社, for example).
Remember to please use the spoiler tag with your translation attempts! Also, please include the reading in kana with your submission.
Everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter your level!
Online tools like dictionaries, sentence databases, and even AI translation engines are fair game and can be extremely helpful. Yomichan is particularly handy if you use the Chrome or Firefox browser. The 語源由来辞典 is also an excellent resource for researching the etymology of various words and expressions.
Here are the links to the 356 Japanese originals (spoiler free) and to the the spreadsheet with all the upcoming senryu as well as the translations to date.
1 Like
Somehow your wording made me think of another possible interpretation:
Maybe it’s just that many people aren’t heavily invested in the stock market, so the ups and downs don’t affect their happiness.
I’m curious if you had this or a different interpretation.
1 Like
I didn’t have exactly that specific interpretation, but my first thought was millennials hating the stock market, and occasionally rooting for the demise of hated companies. I’ve certainly felt that way before 
.
It reminded me a bit of this.
I do think that regardless of specifics, it seems to be someone who either has nothing invested in stocks or who has very little invested (like someone who works at the company in question and isn’t terribly fond of their job), and who feels a sense of relief or validation somehow at seeing the stocks fall, coupled with the solidarity implied by わたしたち.
4 Likes
かぶさがり なぜかうれしい わたしたち
2-3-2 (やった!)
Puzzling -
down stock makes
us glad
A bit clumsy, but the pull of writing a 2-3-2 was too strong.
The reason for their happiness is not clear though, as there are many reasons to rejoice falling stocks such as buying into the market, options trading, schadenfreude, and so on. But, these are technical, trading driven reasons. I suspect the writer was alluding to a basic human reaction to falling stocks in this 川柳, which eludes me.
1 Like
Amen to that. One reason why I grew disillusioned with high-tech companies. The egos and behavior of the people at the top of high-tech, startup companies and their sense of righteousness towards others started to grate on me midway in my career. It made foolish-me snap out of the belief of solving world hunger through tech. 
Ah, yes, this is more along the lines of a rationale for this 川柳, rather than technical, stock trading, behavioral reactions that I thought of.
2 Likes
- 株下がり何故かうれしいわたしたち
Kana: ぶかさがりなぜかうれしいわたしたち
Translation attempt:
The stocks dipping
Had us overjoyed
For some reason
I think the interpretation that this is from the POV of someone who is not particularly invested is interesting, though in my translation attempt I went for a direct link between both halves of the 川柳. Either way, I don’t necessarily see an argument for or against either version in the text itself. 
3 Likes
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Previous senryu
- 株下がり何故かうれしいわたしたち
かぶさがり・なぜかうれしい・わたしたち
stocks are down. / for some reason, we’re / all happy
Notes:
-
Tough call, but
goes to @fallynleaf (most votes) -
to @LaVieQ and @valvictorine
-
I tend to agree with the consensus: this appears to be from the viewpoint of someone emotionally uninvested in stocks (whether monetarily or not). It doesn’t say why they’re happy, but it may simply be wry commentary that stock prices don’t (or shouldn’t) always affect happiness.
Current senryu challenge
Volume: Intense
- 離婚後も同居続けるへんな仲
Interesting: this one does not appear to have any sort of hidden interpretation below the surface, and seems to just state the meaning directly. At least it seems pretty direct to me. Prove me wrong!
Remember to please use the spoiler tag with your translation attempts! Also, please include the reading in kana with your submission.
Everyone is encouraged to participate, no matter your level!
Online tools like dictionaries, sentence databases, and even AI translation engines are fair game and can be extremely helpful. Yomichan is particularly handy if you use the Chrome or Firefox browser. The 語源由来辞典 is also an excellent resource for researching the etymology of various words and expressions.
Here are the links to the 356 Japanese originals (spoiler free) and to the the spreadsheet with all the upcoming senryu as well as the translations to date.
Translation attempt
I came up with a 4-5-4:
- 離婚後も同居続けるへんな仲
りこんごも・どうきょつづける・へんななか
Post divorce and
cohabiting, odd
relationship
2 Likes
りこんごも どうきょつづける へんななか
4-5-4
Cohabiting
after divorce! Strange
relationship!!
Apparently happens a lot these days. There was even a long article about it recently. (Search for “Separated but under the same roof” in NY Times.) Still, it is an unusual arrangement.
1 Like