1

I'm looking for help with the meaning of 位 in this sentence

Hawk:「一軒でも来なかったという家があったら、もう貴様もその時がおしまいだぞ。」
Nightjar:「だってそれはあんまり無理じゃありませんか。そんなことをするなら、私はもう死んだ方がましです。」

My only guess is that ことをする位 translates as "do something of a certain rank/social standing". (e.g. "How could you do something so low class?")
Which makes my reading:

Hawk: "If there is even one house that says you did not come, then at that time I will end you also!"
Nightjar: "You say that is not very unreasonable?! If you will do such a thing of that rank then I would rather be dead [than do what you tell me to]."

Is that reading of 位 correct?

EDIT:
According to Chocolate, the correct reading is "to that extent". See http://jisho.org/word/%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84
for the definition (it isn't listed under 位).

7

1 Answer 1

2

[There is some discussion in the comments but since it's not an exact dupe I think a proper answer should be in order.]

This 位 is read ぐらい (or くらい, it seems both readings are used equally often) and is usually used to express an amount, extent, or degree of something. With verbs it could be interpreted "as far as X goes...". So, the quoted part could be translated as:

そんなことをする位なら、私はもう死んだ方がましです。

As far as doing such thing(s) goes, dying would be better for me.

I'd rather die than do something like that.

Here's a nice blog post listing many examples and usage patterns of this word:

http://maggiesensei.com/2011/01/26/request-lesson-%E4%BD%8D-%E3%81%8F%E3%82%89%E3%81%84%EF%BC%8F%E3%81%90%E3%82%89%E3%81%84-kuraigurai/

You must log in to answer this question.

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