4

Maruko is complaining that mum is buying seaweed as a new year's present. Mum replies:

「のりは食べる機会が多くてすぐに減るからもらったらありがたいもんなのよ。」
There are plenty of opportunities to eat seaweed, and because they immediately decrease, when one receives it they are grateful.

Why do the opportunities to eat seaweed decrease? Is there some cultural knowledge I'm missing or is my translation wrong?

1 Answer 1

8

What decreases is the stock on hand. In other words, Maruko's mother is saying that, since people eat nori on so many occasions, one's supply runs out very quickly, and so one is happy to receive it. Think of a big pool of available nori that gets drained as it gets used.

1
  • 1
    Yes, "because it's consumed on many occasions the supply quickly runs out, so it's really a thankful time when you DO get a chance to eat it." tte kanji
    – sova
    Apr 30, 2016 at 23:41

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .