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how to interpret phrase.

letslearn

先輩
11 Sep 2013
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Hi all,
In the book I have been reading 魔女の宅急便。i'm going over some phrases That I did not fully understand.
In the story the mother has made キキa new dress for the day she is going to leave.
And キキ is fussing over the colour of the dress. She says.

「せめて、コスモス色ならいいのにね。黒猫にくろふく で、まっくろくろだわ」

I am thinking that せめて means " at least"
And the ならいいのに is used as desire or wish etc.

So its like... I wish it was at least cosmos colour.....

What is 黒猫にくろふくで is it a known saying? like 猫に小判? literal meaning is cat in a black suit or mourning clothes.

And lastly まっくろくろだわ..... something like jet black.

よろしくお願いします
 
黒猫にくろふくで、まっくろくろ is a description about Kiki, not Jiji. に is for listing examples, similar to と.
Yes for the meaning of まっくろくろ.
 
thanks toritoribesan,
Just for clairification,
Using the で particle to mean "as" or "by".
In natural English would it be along the lines of...

I wish it was at least cosmos colour,I look as black as a black cat or a person going to a funeral!
 
All right I think I have been confusing myself.

I wish it was at least cosmos colour, a black cat and black clothes, I'm completely black.
 
All right I think I have been confusing myself.

That kind of thing can happen a lot. Just keeping that in mind can sometimes help you see your way through something. When you get hung up on something, include among your techniques asking yourself, "Am I overthinking this?"
 
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