Want to learn more Japanese words? Love Japanese music and want to understand it more? Or maybe you just want to practice your listening and comprehension? Regardless, Japanese music is an amazing way to do so!
Hi, I’m Nostalgia. This is my blog. I initially created this site for my rookie anime cover band, but as I wrote articles to help promote us, I realized, Japanese music is my niche. I’ve been a fan since 2006 and have only gotten to know and understand it more after picking up guitar.
The main reason I started learning the language in 2011 was to understand the lyrics without having to look it up. But after 3 years of studying it seriously (2 years alone and 1 year in university), I still didn’t understand it.
Why? Because the words they sing aren’t words they use in everyday speech, and thus you won’t come across most of them in your textbooks. That’s why I made the Japanese Lyric Dictionary, definitely check it out if you’re into this.
For this series, it is expected that you understand basic Japanese sentence structure and particles, pronouns (I, he she), days (today, tomorrow, Wednesday), The 5 Ws (who, what, when), location markers (here, middle, outside) and other basic words/verbs (water, to eat, goodbye). However, I may still include some of these words if used in a unique context.
That should be all for intros. Here’s Part 1 of hopefully many articles where I will breakdown a part of a popular song so you can learn some words, perhaps some new phrases, and just understand the songs better 🙂
If you’re interested in other Japanese Music learning material, be sure to check out my Japanese Music Resources page. I got articles on Japanese Music Phrases, Japanese Song Structure, Common Japanese Chord Progressions, and so much more!
And if you’re interested in learning more vocabulary and kanji so you can watch anime and dramas, read manga, sing J-pop at karaoke, or play raw Japanese video games, check out my 250+ Kanji for Japanese Media (+Sentences) article and my Japanese Study Guide!
“Unravel” By TK from Ling Tosite Sigure
(Tokyo Ghoul)
Song | 1st Verse @ 0:02
LYRICS:
教えて 教えてよ
oshiete oshiete yo
その仕組みを
sono shikumi wo
僕の中に誰がいるの？
boku no naka ni dare ga iru no?
壊れた 壊れたよ この世界で
kowareta kowareta yo kono sekai de
君が笑う 何も見えずに
kimi ga warau nanimo miezu ni
TRANSLATION:
Tell me, tell me,
How it’s supposed to be
Who is there inside of me?
This world is corrupted!
You are laughing,
Blind to it all
WORDS & NOTES:
Oshiete = teach me!
Kowareta = corruptly/wrecked
Warau = to laugh/smile
Shikumi = plot/work out
Sekai = world
Nanimo = nothing
Oshiete = teach me!
Kowareta = corruptly/wrecked
Warau = to laugh/smile
Miezu = Mieru (To be seen/visible) + ~zu (negative)
“4:00AM” By Taeko Onuki
Song | 1st Chorus @ 0:29
LYRICS:
目覚めると夜明け前の
mezameru to yoake mae
闇は息をひそめて
yami wa iki o hisomete
静けさが追いつめる
shizukesa ga oitsumeru
言葉が見つからない
kotoba ga mitsukaranai
TRANSLATION:
I wake up before daybreak.
The darkness hides its breath.
I chase after the stillness.
The words can’t be found.
WORDS & NOTES:
Mezameru = to wake up
Yoake = down/daybreak
Mae = before
Yami = darkness
Iki o hisomeru = to hold one’s breath
Shizukesa = silence/quietness/stillness
Oitsumeru = to track down/chase after
Kotoba = words
Mitsukaranai = Mitsukeru (to find) + ranai (can’t be)
“Ussewa” (Shut The F- Up) By Ado
Song | 1st Pre-Chorus @ 0:36
LYRICS:
それもそっか
Sore mo sokka
最新の流行は当然の把握
Saishin no ryuukou wa touzen no haaku
経済の動向も通勤時チェック
Keizai no doukou mo tsuukinji chekku
純情な精神で入社しワーク
Junjou na seishin de nyuushashi waaku
社会人じゃ当然のルールです
Shakaijin ja touzen no ruuru desu
TRANSLATION:
Well, is that so?
Understanding the latest trends
Checking stock market on my way to work
Joining a company with pure spirit
These are the obvious rules for us workers
WORDS & NOTES:
Sou ka/sokka = is that so?
Saishin = latest/newest
Ryuukou = fashion/trend/popularity
Touzen = as a matter of course/obvious/natural
Haaku = grasp/catch/understanding
Keizai = economics
Doukou = trend/movement
Tsuukinji = Tsuukin (commute to work) + Ji (time)
Junjou = pure heart/naivety
Seishin = spirit
Nyuushashi = entry to a company/new employee
Shakaijin = the workforce (Reversed kanji of Kaisha which means office+person/people. Also generally means ‘society’)
Touzen = natural/obvious
Ruuru = rules
“Kawaki wo Ameku” (Crying In The Rain) By Minami (Domestic Girlfriend)
Song | 1st Verse @ 0:22
LYRICS:
No Destiny ふさわしく無い
No Destiny fusawashiku nai
こんなんじゃきっと物足りない
Konnan ja kitto monotarinai
くらい語っとけばうまくいく
Kurai katattokeba umaku iku
物、金、愛、言、もう自己顕示飽きた
Mono, Kimu, ai, gen, mō jiko kenji akita
TRANSLATION:
No Destiny, I’m unworthy
“This alone won’t be enough.”
If I explain that properly, it should all work out.
Things, Money, Love, Words
I’m tired of putting myself out there.
WORDS & NOTES:
Fusawashiku nai = unsuitable/unworthy
Kitto = certainly/without fail
Monotarinai = unsatisfied/unsatisfactory
Kurai = like that much
Katari = to talk/narration
~tokeba = to do something in readiness
Umaku = from “Umai” meaning tasty/good, so “umaku iku” refers to things proceeding as desired
-Here’s some direct kanji translations-
Mou = already
Jiko Kenji = self expression
Akita = tired
“Lemon” By Kenshi Yonezu
Song | Part B of 1st Verse @ 0:26
LYRICS:
戻らない幸せがあることを
Modoranai shiawase ga aru koto wo
最後にあなたが教えてくれた
Saigo ni anata ga oshiete kureta
言えずに隠してた昏い過去も
Iezu ni kakushiteta kurai kako mo
あなたがいなきゃ永遠に昏いまま
Anata ga inakya eien ni kurai mama
TRANSLATION:
The last thing you taught me
Is about a kind of happiness
that doesn’t come back
The dark hidden past I never spoke of
Would be dark forever if it didn’t have you
WORDS & NOTES:
Modorenai = Modoreru (to return) + ~nai (Negative)
Shiawase = happiness
Saigo = last/end/conclusion
Oshiete Kureta = told/taught me
Iezu = can’t say
Kakushiteta = was hiding
Kurai = dark
Kako mo = the past/previously (Nihongo Master notes it’s ‘a personal history one would prefer remained secret’)
Inakya = I have to
Eien = forever/eternity
Mama = just as/as is
“Silhouette” By KANA-BOON (Naruto)
Song | 1st Chorus @ 0:54
LYRICS:
覚えてないことも
Oboetenai koto mo
たくさんあっただろう
takusan atta darou
誰も彼もシルエット
Dare mo kare mo shiruetto
大事にしてたもの
Daiji ni shiteta mono
忘れたフリをしたんだよ
Wasureta furi o shita n da yo
なにもないよ、笑えるさ
Nanimo nai yo, waraerusa
TRANSLATION:
There are probably lots of things
we don’t even remember.
Every one of us is a silhouette.
We’ve pretended to forget the things we held dear,
So we can just laugh, And say it’s nothing.
WORDS & NOTES:
Oboetenai = Oboete iru (to remember/retain something)+nai (negative)
Takusan = a lot
Darou = will probably
Shiruetto = silhouette
Daiji = important
Shiteta = to have been doing
Wasureta = to forget
Wasureta furi o shite = pretending to forget
Nanimo = nothing
Waraerusa = Warau = to laugh
“Orange” By 7!!
Song | 1st Pre-Chorus @ 1:15
LYRICS:
君がいないと
Kimi ga inai to
本当に退屈だ中
Hontou ni taikutsu da naka
寂しいと言えば
Sabishii to ieba
笑われてしまうけど
Warawareteshimau kedo
残されたもの
Nokosareta mono
何度も確かめるよ
Nan do mo tashikameru yo
消えることなく輝いている
Kieru koto naku kagayaiteiru
TRANSLATION:
If you are not there it is really boring
Though I think I’ll be laughed at
if I said I was lonely
The things you left behind
I check them again and again
They are still shining brightly
without anything disappearing
WORDS & NOTES:
Kimi ga inai = you are not here
Hontou ni = really
Taikutsu = boring/tedius
Sabishii = lonely
Ieba = iu (to speak) + ~eba (conditional)
Warawarete = smiling/laughing
Nokosareta = to leave (behind/undone)
Tashikameru = to check/make sure
Kieru = to disappear
Naku = to cry
Kagayaite iru = to shine brightly
“Fuyu no Hanashi” (A Winter Story) By Centimillimental (Given)
Song | 1st Chorus @ 0:48
LYRICS:
あなたのすべてが
Anata no subete ga
明日を失くして
Ashita o nakushite
永遠の中を紡程っているよ
Eien no naka o samayotte iru yo
さよならできずに
Sayonara dekizu ni
立ち止まったままの
Tachidomatta mama no
僕と一緒に
boku to issho ni
TRANSLATION:
Your everything has lost its tomorrow
And is not wondering aimlessly through eternity
Unable to say goodbye with you standing next to me
WORDS & NOTES:
Subete = everything
Nakushite = Nakusu = to lose
Eien = eternity/forever
Samayotte iru = to wonder endlessly/move about without destination
Dekizu = Dekiru (to do/be able to) + ~zu (negative)
Tachidomatta = Tatsu (to stand) + Tomaru (to stop) = to stop and stand
Mama = ‘like a certain way’
Isshou ni = with me
“Hakujitsu” (Broad Daylight) By King Knu
Song | 1st Chorus @ 0:46
LYRICS:
今の僕には
Ima no boku ni wa
何ができるの？
Nani ga dekiru no?
何になれるの？
Nani ni nareru no?
誰かのために生きるなら
Dareka no tame ni ikiru nara
正しいことばかり
Dadashii koto bakari
言ってらんないよな
Itte rannai yo na
TRANSLATION:
Right now,
What can I do?
What can I become?
If you live for someone else
You can’t always say the proper thing
WORDS & NOTES:
Dekiru = can do
Nareru = to learn
Dareka = someone
~no tame ni = for (to do something for someone)
Ikiru – to live
Dadashi = correct
Bakari = always
Itte rannai = don’t say
“Dry Flower” By Yuuri
Song | Part B of 1st Verse @ 0:25
LYRICS:
ずっと話そうと思ってた5
zutto hanasou to omotteta
きっと私たち合わないね
kitto watashitachi awanai ne
二人きりしかいない部屋でさ
futari kiri shika inai heya de sa
貴方ばかり話していたよね
anata bakari hanashiteita yo ne
TRANSLATION:
I’ve been always wanting to say,
That we are probably better off with each other.
Whenever in the room
Where there were just two of us,
your compliments were all about me blaming you
WORDS & NOTES:
Zutto = for a long time
Hanasou = to speak/to converse
Omotteta = to have been thinking
Kitto = certainly/without fail
Awanai = au (to meet) + nai (negative) = not match/won’t fit
Futari = two people
Kiri = end/finish/stop
Shika = (used to explain one’s inclination towards something)
Heya = room
Bakari = always
Hanashiteita = was speaking
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