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Intensive Japanese Reading: We have issued your My Number Card (Individual Number Card).

# japanese # language
Harry
Lang
EN
Original äž­æ–‡
日本語

1. Overall Text Difficulty Level

N3 - N2 Level.

This text uses a large number of official written vocabulary (such as 「亀付」, 「玛倱」, 「有効期間」) and polite expressions (such as 「ご利甚いただけたす」). The sentence structures are clear but contain important conjunctive grammar, making it an excellent reading material for N2 preparation.

Original Sentence

本日、マむナンバヌカヌド個人番号カヌドを亀付したした。

English Translation: Today, we have issued your “Individual Number Card” (My Number Card).

Sentence Structure Breakdown

Word-by-Word Analysis

Expression & Cultural Notes

This sentence omits the subject. In Japanese, if the context is clear, the subject (especially “I” or “we”) is often omitted. The context here is a notice issued by the ward office (district government), so it is obvious that the subject is “the staff of the ward office.”

The “My Number Card” is an IC card with a 12-digit individual number issued to all residents (including foreigners) in Japan, similar to a national identity card, used for handling various administrative procedures, identity verification, etc.

Key Takeaway

The core of this sentence is to master high-frequency kanji words common in official documents, such as 「本日 (ほんじ぀)」 and 「亀付 (こうふ) する」. At the same time, understand the habit of omitting the subject in Japanese.

Original Sentence

蚌明曞コンビニ亀付サヌビスは玄2時間埌からご利甚いただけたす。

English Translation: The convenience store certificate issuance service will be available in about 2 hours.

Sentence Structure Breakdown

Word-by-Word Analysis

Detailed Analysis of Key Grammar Point: お/ごいただく

Key Takeaway

For this sentence, the key is to master the usage of the honorific potential state 「お/ごいただけたす」, which is a high-frequency test point in N2 listening and reading. Understanding it equals mastering one of the core honorifics in service scenarios.

Original Sentence

○ 印鑑登録蚌をお持ちの方は、砎棄せずに保管しおください。 ○ 区圹所等の窓口で印鑑登録蚌明曞を取埗する堎合に必芁です。

English Translation: ○ Customers who possess a registered seal certificate, please do not discard it and keep it safe. ○ It is required when obtaining a registered seal certificate at the counters of the ward office and other places.

Sentence Structure Breakdown

First Sentence:

Second Sentence:

Word-by-Word Analysis

Expression & Cultural Notes

In Japan, seals (印鑑/ハンコ) still hold legal validity in many formal occasions (such as signing contracts or opening bank accounts), and their importance is equivalent to a signature. Therefore, seal registration and certification are very important administrative procedures. This notice reminds people that even with the multifunctional My Number Card, the old registered seal certificate cannot simply be thrown away.

Key Takeaway

The core of this paragraph is to master the usage of the written negative form 「ずに」 (equivalent to 「ないで」), as well as 「堎合は/に」 which expresses hypothetical situations. Both of these are frequent occurrences in the N2 exam.

Original Sentence

○ 本カヌドを玛倱した堎合は、盎ちにマむナンバヌ総合フリヌダむダル「0120-95-0178」ぞ連絡し、電子蚌明曞等の機胜の䞀時停止を䟝頌した䞊で、譊察眲ぞカヌド玛倱の遺倱届出をしおください。「遺倱届受理番号のお知らせメモ」は、カヌド再亀付手続きの際に必芁ですので、保管しおください。

English Translation: ○ If you lose this card, please immediately contact the My Number comprehensive toll-free number “0120-95-0178”, request a temporary suspension of functions such as the electronic certificate, and then submit a lost property report for the card at a police station. Please keep the “Notice Memo of the Lost Property Report Receipt Number”, as it is required when undergoing procedures for card reissuance.

Sentence Structure Breakdown

This is a long sentence, let’s split it into two parts.

First Part Core: あなたは連絡し、䟝頌した䞊で、届出をしおください。 (Please contact, upon requesting, submit a report.)

Second Part Core: 「メモ」は、必芁ですので、保管しおください。 (The “memo” is necessary, so please keep it.)

Word-by-Word Analysis

Key Takeaway

This long sentence is typical official instructional text. The core is understanding the sequence of actions and logical relationships. You must master the strong sequential sense of 「た䞊で」 meaning “do A then do B”, and 「際に」 used to mean “at the time of” in formal contexts.

Original Sentence

本カヌドの有効期間は発行日から10回目の誕生日18歳未満の方は5回目の誕生日たでです。 倖囜人䜏民䞭長期圚留者の方は圚留期間の満了日たでです。 たた、電子蚌明曞の有効期間は発行日から5回目の誕生日たでです。 いずれも有効期間満了の3ヶ月前から曎新申請ができたす。

English Translation: The validity period of this card is from the date of issuance until your 10th birthday (for those under 18, the 5th birthday) from that date. For foreign residents (mid- to long-term residents), the validity is until the expiration date of the period of stay. Furthermore, the validity period of the electronic certificate is until the 5th birthday from the date of issuance. For all of these, renewal applications can be made starting 3 months prior to the expiration of the validity period.

Sentence Structure Breakdown

This is a compound paragraph made of four independent sentences, with clear logic.

Word-by-Word Analysis

Key Takeaway

This paragraph primarily provides informational notice, so the grammar is relatively simple. The focus is on accumulating vocabulary related to administrative procedures, such as 「有効期間」, 「発行日」, 「満了日」, 「曎新申請」, etc. Also, pay attention to the usage of 「未満」 and 「いずれも」.

Original Sentence

その他に぀いおは、「利甚のご案内」をご䞀読の䞊、お手元に保管しおいただきご掻甚ください。

English Translation: Regarding other matters, please read the “Usage Guide” and keep it at hand for your reference and utilization.

Sentence Structure Breakdown

Word-by-Word Analysis

Key Takeaway

This sentence is a great compilation of honorific expressions. You need to memorize three core honorific patterns:

  1. の䞊 (うえ): Written language, meaning “after
”.

  2. おいただく: Humble language, meaning “Please do
 (for me)”.

  3. お/ごください: Honorific language, meaning “Please do
”. Proficient use of these will greatly elevate the formality of your Japanese.

Final Summary

Vocabulary List

WordReadingEnglish Meaning
本日ほんじ぀Today (formal expression)
亀付こうふIssuance, delivery
蚌明曞しょうめいしょCertificate
砎棄はきDiscard, destroy
保管ほかんKeep, storage
印鑑登録蚌いんかんずうろくしょうRegistered seal certificate
取埗しゅずくAcquisition, obtainment
窓口たどぐちCounter, window
必芁ひ぀ようNecessary, requirement
玛倱ふんし぀Loss, misplacement
盎ちにただちにImmediately, at once
連絡れんらくContact
電子蚌明曞でんししょうめいしょElectronic certificate
機胜きのうFunction
䞀時停止いちじおいしTemporary suspension
䟝頌いらいRequest, entrust
譊察眲けいさ぀しょPolice station
遺倱届出いし぀ずどけでLost property report
再亀付さいこうふReissuance, replacing
手続きお぀づきProcedure
有効期間ゆうこうきかんValidity period
発行日はっこうびDate of issuance
未満みたんUnder, less than
圚留期間ざいりゅうきかんPeriod of stay
満了日たんりょうびDate of expiration
いずれもいずれもAll, any of them
曎新申請こうしんしんせいRenewal application
䞀読いちどくRead through once
掻甚か぀ようUtilize, make good use of
総合そうごうComprehensive

Grammar Checklist

Grammar PointStructureFunction and Explanation
お/ごいただけたすお/ご + Vたす (minus たす) + いただけたすA very polite way of saying “you can (do something)”, the potential state of a humble honorific verb, more respectful than 「できたす」.
ずにVない (minus ない) + ずに”Without doing
”, the written form of 「ないで」, used to connect two actions.
堎合 (ばあい)V/A/N + 堎合”In the case of
”, used for hypothetical situations.
た䞊で (たうえで)Vた + 䞊で”After doing
”, emphasizes the previous action as a prerequisite or preparation for the following action, strongly sequential, more formal than 「おから」.
際に (さいに)V/Nの + 際に”At the time of
”, the formal expression of 「ずき」, commonly seen in written language and formal contexts.
の䞊 (のうえ)Vた/Nの + 侊”After
”, similar in meaning to 「た䞊で」, also a formal written expression.
おいただくVお + いただく”Please do
 (for me)”, the humble form of 「おもらう」, expressing a request with gratitude.
お/ごくださいお/ご + Vたす (minus たす) + ください”Please do
”, the honorific form of 「おください」, highly polite.

おいただく is the humble form of おもらう,

what does it exactly mean? Sometimes it is “the user receives”, sometimes it is “sorry to bother you to keep it”.

Let’s break down the grammar point 「おいただく」 thoroughly.

Core: It is ALWAYS “Our side receives a favor”

First, please firmly remember a core concept: Whether it is 「おもらう」 or its humble form 「おいただく」, the subject of the sentence (often omitted) is always the receiver of the action. The core perspective of the entire sentence is “I (or my side) received the favor of someone doing something for me”.

Therefore, the literal meaning of 「おいただく」 is “I (humbly) accept the favor of (you) doing
 for me”.

Why are there two translations that look different?

“Sometimes it’s the user receives, sometimes it’s sorry to trouble you”, is actually this core meaning applied in two different sentence patterns. They are essentially the same thing.

Let’s look at the two situations:

Situation 1: As a declarative sentence (I received
)

When 「おいただく」 is used at the end of a sentence as a complete statement, it expresses gratitude and a fact.

Example 1: 先生に日本語を教えおいただきたした。

Here, it is what you understood as “the user receives”. I received the benefit brought by the action “the teacher teaches me”.

Example 2: 郚長に曞類を確認しおいただきたした。

Situation 2: As a request/instruction sentence (Please do
 for me)

This is the part that confused you. When 「おいただく」 is used in the context of a request or instruction, it becomes an extremely euphemistic and polite way to make a request.

Imagine that saying directly 「保管しおください」 (Please keep) is a command or direct request.

Then how about saying 「保管しおいただく」?

保管しおいただき、ご掻甚ください。 (The usage in the original text)

The 「保管しおいただき」 in this sentence is actually a mid-sentence pause, and its underlying logic is: “We wish to (humbly) accept the favor of you keeping it for us, and then please utilize it.”

See, the core meaning hasn’t changed! The speaker (ward office) places themselves in a very low position, packaging an action that should have been an “instruction” into an expression of “we request to accept your favor”.

This creates the nuance of “sorry to bother you” or “please trouble yourself”. Because it is not commanding you, but rather asking you to bestow the favor of “keeping” it.

Let’s look at a more common request pattern:

「おいただけたすか。」 (Could you please do
 for me?)

Example: この挢字の読み方を教えおいただけたすか。

This is a very polite way of asking. You are not asking if the other party “has the ability to teach”, but asking “Do I have the honor of receiving your teaching?”.

Summary and Comparison

ExpressionNuanceCore Logic
おくださいDirect Request/InstructionYou do it. (Focus is on the other party’s action)
おくれたすかOrdinary RequestCan you do it for me? (Focus is on the other party’s willingness)
おいただけたすかVery Polite RequestMay I have the honor of receiving the favor of you doing
 for me? (Focus is on whether my side can “receive the favor”, very euphemistic)
おいただきたしたDeclaring a fact + GratitudeI have already had the honor of receiving the favor of
 (Focus is on the favor already received by my side and the feeling of gratitude)

So, you see the translation “Sorry to trouble you to keep it” precisely because the speaker, by using 「おいただく」, lowers themselves and entirely hands over the decision-making power and favor of the “keeping” action to the listener (the user), thereby creating an extremely polite atmosphere of “I am causing you trouble, but I still leave it in your hands.”

Remember: The perspective is always “our side receives a favor”.

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