その鶴は、禎子が折らなければならない千羽鶴の最初の一羽だった。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

It was the first of the one thousand cranes that Sadako had to make.

Furigana

その鶴(つる)は、禎子(さだこ)が折(お)らなければならない千羽鶴(せんばづる)の最初(さいしょ)の一(いち)羽(わ)だった。

Romanji

Sono tsuru wa, Sadako ga oranakerebanaranai senbazuru no saisho no ichi wa datta.

Words

其の (その)

that (something or someone distant from the speaker, close to the listener; actions of the listener, or ideas expressed or understood by the listener); the; um...; er...; uh...

鶴 (つる、たず、ツル)

crane (any bird of the family Gruidae, esp. the red-crowned crane, Grus japonensis)

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

折る (おる)

to break; to fracture; to break off; to snap off; to pick (e.g. flowers); to fold; to bend; to make (origami); to interrupt; to end

千羽鶴 (せんばづる)

(string of) many (traditionally 1000) paper cranes

の (の)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

最初 (さいしょ)

beginning; outset; first; onset

一 (いち)

one; best; first; foremost; beginning; start; bottom string (on a shamisen, etc.)

羽 (わ、ば、ぱ)

counter for birds and rabbits

だ (だ)

be; is; indicates past or completed action; indicates light imperative