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Quotes

Japanese meaning of 仲間一人救えねぇ奴が、火影になんてなれるかよ

— Naruto Uzumaki ／ NARUTO

なかまひとりすくえねぇやつが、ほかげになんてなれるかよ (Nakama hitori sukuenē yatsu ga, Hokage ni nante nareru ka yo)

English Translation:

How could someone who can't even save one friend ever become Hokage?

Work: Character: Emotion: Scene:

Original Scene & Cultural Context

Scene in the Original Work:

In Part II of NARUTO (the anime's Shippuden), Naruto finally meets Sasuke again at one of Orochimaru's hideouts, about two and a half years after Sasuke left the village. Sasuke coldly tells him he should chase his dream of becoming Hokage instead of chasing him. Naruto shoots back with this line, refusing to give up on bringing his friend home.
日本語で読む
『NARUTO』第二部で、大蛇丸のアジトでようやく再会したサスケに、ナルトがこう言い返す。里を抜けて約2年半、サスケは、自分を追う暇があるなら火影になる夢を追えと冷たく突き放す。それでもナルトはサスケを今も仲間だと考え、連れ戻すことをあきらめない。

Cultural Context:

Becoming Hokage, the leader of the Leaf Village, is Naruto's goal throughout the series, and this line shows that for him a Hokage must be someone who protects his friends. It appears among his lines in fan polls of favorite quotes. It may also be quoted when someone refuses to give up on a friend.
日本語で読む
木ノ葉隠れの里の長「火影」になることは物語全体を通したナルトの目標で、このセリフには「仲間を救えてこそ火影」という彼の考えが表れている。ナルトの名言を選ぶファン投票にも挙がる一言。友達を見捨てないと言いたいときに引用されることもある。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

•「仲間一人」= even one comrade (stresses "just one"). •「救えねぇ」= rough casual form of 救えない (can't save). •「〜なんて」= emphatic "something like ~". •「なれるかよ」= rhetorical; means "there's no way he can become".
日本語で読む
•「仲間一人」は「たった一人の仲間も」という強調。•「救えねぇ」は「救えない」のくだけた乱暴な言い方。•「〜なんて」は強調の気持ち。•「なれるかよ」は反語で「なれるはずがない」という意味。

Trap for English Speakers

なれるかよ looks like a question, but it is rhetorical and means "no way". Also, 火影 is read ほかげ, not ひかげ (日陰, shade).
日本語で読む
「なれるかよ」は疑問文に見えるが、反語で「なれるわけがない」という意味。「火影」は「ほかげ」と読み、「ひかげ（日陰）」とは違う。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 自分の部屋も片付けられない人が、片付けの先生になんてなれるかよ。

    How could someone who can't even tidy their own room become a tidying coach?

Example 2Applied Example

  1. （逃げ遅れた仲間を助けに戻る下忍が）仲間一人救えねぇ奴が、上忍になんてなれるかよ！

    (A junior ninja turning back to save a comrade left behind) "How could someone who can't even save one friend ever become a jonin?"

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Meaning

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