In Saki ep 19 at about 11:41, Koromo says something that my various copies all translate as "Woe is me." (I think they all stole that translation from CrunchyRoll.)

I've been wondering what it was she really said. It sounds to me like "ikan ni sen". Could it be 遺憾に千, meaning "a thousand-fold unsatisfactory"?

Posted by: Steven Den Beste in Japanese at 01:54 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 57 words, total size 1 kb.

1 After tracking the episode down on a Vietnamese Youtube clone, I'd say you heard it correctly, and Google searches for いかんにせん turn up . Several sites explicitly equate it with ikansen 如何せん, which is in Edict as "can't be helped; to one's regret". I believe the correct kanji for sen is 選 = "selection; choice".

I found an informal dictionary site that had the meaning as 「為すべき手段を躊躇い、困っている様子」, which I'd roughly translate as "situation where you are hesitating and at a loss about the right thing to do".

-j

Posted by: J Greely at July 11, 2010 06:10 PM (2XtN5)

2 (heh, didn't notice the bad edit that deleted the examples, which were things like "they want what to fix my air conditioner?")

-j

Posted by: J Greely at July 11, 2010 06:16 PM (2XtN5)

3 I can believe "unpleasant choice" given the context. That works for me.

Posted by: Steven Den Beste at July 11, 2010 07:08 PM (+rSRq)

4 ...or a ladylike "I'm so screwed".

-j

Posted by: J Greely at July 12, 2010 11:53 AM (fpXGN)

5 I don't have Saki ep 19 but yeah, bet it is ikansen. I'd be interested to know the etymology. As it is used these days it should usually be translated as something like "unfortunately" or "regrettably." Anyway, not sure if you mind comments on posts a few days old... ikansen.

Posted by: tds at July 16, 2010 05:16 PM (0SOgY)

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