Let’s learn Japanese with Eikichi Onizuka’s quote from GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka).
CONTENTS
Video
Eikichi Onizuka’s Quote
Japanese: ガキはガキらしくよ、ニカーッと笑っていこうや。
Romaji: gaki wa gaki rashiku yo, nikātto waratte ikō ya.
English: Kids should be smiling like how kids always do.
Analysis
ガキ means “a kid” or “brat” in a rough way.
は is the particle which indicates the topic of the sentence.
らしく following a noun means “just like” or “just like how one always does” which is used to express something that the speaker thinks it’s a typical characteristic of someone or something. So ガキらしく means “just like kids” or “just like how kids always do”.
The particle よ in the middle of a sentence is used to make the tone strong, rough and manly.
ニカーッ is an onomatopoeia which expresses a grin or wide smile. The と particle following an onomatopoeia works as an adverb and explains a condition or way of being that exists at a particular time. For instance, if you use the onomatopoeia コロコロ with the verb 転がる meaning “to roll” which makes コロコロと転がる it expresses that something light is rolling but if it’s ゴロゴロと転がる it expresses something heavy is rolling. In this sentence, the verb modified with the adverb ニカーッと is 笑って which is the te-form of 笑う meaning “to smile” so ニカーッと笑う means “to smile widely“.
And a verb te-form followed by いこう means “should be doing something” used to express a suggestion or request in an encouraging and supportive way. So the verb usually has a positive meaning.
や is the sentence ending particle used by men when persuading equals or inferiors to do something in a rough and vulgar manner. It’s usually used with a verb volitional or imperative form.
Examples
Noun + らしく (just like/just like how one always does)
あぐらをかかないで。女の子らしく座りなさい。
agura o kakanai de. onnanoko rashiku suwari nasai.
Don’t sit cross-legged. Sit like how girls should.
生徒と友達のように仲がいいけど、授業中は先生らしく振る舞っている。
seito to tomodachi no yō ni naka ga ii kedo, jugyō chū wa sensei rashiku furumatte iru.
I am close to my students like friends but I act like a teacher in class.
春らしく、暖かくて心地よい風が吹いてるね。
haru rashiku, atatakakute kokochiyoi kaze ga fuiteru ne.
The warm soothing breeze is blowing like how it should be in spring.
らしく works as an adverb and らしい works as an adjective:
夏らしい服装だね。
natsu rashii fukusō dane.
It’s a very summery fashion.
Difference Between らしい and のよう (casual: みたい):
- Noun + らしい is used for something that is expectedly what it should be like (Typical).
- Noun + のよう (みたい) is used for something that looks like something different (Metaphor).
春らしい天気だ。 – The weather is just like spring (and it IS spring).
春のよう (春みたい) な天気だ。 – It feels like spring (even though it’s NOT spring).
山田さんは男らしい。- Yamada-san is manly (and he IS a man).
山田さんは男のよう (男みたい) だ。- Yamada-san is like a man (but Yamada-san is NOT a man).
Onomatopoeia + と (explains a condition or way of being that exists at a particular time)
その女の子はいつもニコニコと微笑んでいる。
sono onnanoko wa itsumo nikoniko to hohoende iru.
The girl always has a cheery smile.
いきなりブワッと強い風が吹いた
ikinari buwatto tsuyoi kaze ga fuita.
Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew.
暗闇の中で何かがキラッと光った。
kurayami no naka de nanika ga kiratto hikatta.
Something shined in the dark.
Verb Te-Form + いこう (expresses a suggestion or request in an encouraging and supportive way)
うつむかずに、いつも顔を上げていこうよ。
utsumukazu ni, itsumo kao o agete ikō yo.
Don’t look down, always keep your head up.
落ち着いて敵を倒し、ゲームをクリアしていこう。
ochitsuite teki o taoshi, gēmu o kuria shite ikō.
Let’s be calm and defeat the enemies to clear the game.
過去ではなく、未来に向かって歩いていこう。
kako dewa naku, mirai ni mukatte aruite ikō.
You should be walking towards the future, not the past.
いこう is the volitional form of いく meaning “to go” and “Verb Te-Form + いく” indicates that the action is ongoing towards the future, which makes it sound encouraging and supportive.
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Hi Anzu,
in your video you use “ニカーッと” but in the first line of the text decription you use “ニカーっと”.
I guess the “っ” should be a “ッ”?
Hi Franz,
Sorry it should be in katakana as it’s included in the onomatopoeia word which is not ニカー but 二カーッ. I fixed the text as well. Thanks for the advice!