99 Steps – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: STUTS, Kohjiya, Hana Hope

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a Japanese language learning journey with "99 Steps" by STUTS, Kohjiya, and Hana Hope. This song offers a blend of rap and melodic vocals, providing a dynamic way to learn modern Japanese phrasing and emotional expression. Its uplifting message of perseverance and the blend of different vocal styles make it a special and engaging piece for any learner.

[English]

Above, slipping through the clouds

By evening, to rainy weather

The wind hitting me even more, ah, reaching the amazing view

Lies above the scenario I'm drawing

I took off that weight

If I line up only what I want to see

The area I stepped into

Area

Hey baby, in the middle of the night

Laughing at the past I used to obsess over

Quietly swaying blue

Can't sit still

Clear ever since that day

But right now, 99

Indulging in tomorrow's worries and thoughts

Still, 99

A message to that guy who seems bored

Something's missing

Raising my sluggish hips just a little

In the not-so-distant future

My shadow in the dancing sweat

Ah, the blood rushing to this hot body, like it turned into the wind

Bouncing away

Ah, the sprouting heart

Filling it up

Until it overflows, playing with the light

Not paying attention, sweat on my forehead

That street shower we were enjoying

All the way to the avenue by your place

That dawn we were chatting away

The time when I was falling and sinking

Now, almost nothing scares me

Everything up till now protects my chest

I love it, this is my road to run on

Just always spitting, flipping the bottom upside down

It's fine with nothing

Spilling over on its own

It's fine not right now

Just persistently drawing what's on my mind

Just persistently aiming to be a self I like

Lies above the scenario I'm drawing

I took off that weight

If I line up only what I want to see

The area I stepped into

Area

Hey baby, in the middle of the night

Laughing at the past I used to obsess over

Quietly swaying blue

Can't sit still

Clear ever since that day

Ah, the blood rushing to this hot body, like it turned into the wind

Bouncing away

Ah, the sprouting heart

Filling it up

Until it overflows, playing with the light

The sun that goes around so many times is just like you

Footsteps of joy

Resounding and dancing

I feel it, singing while starting to walk

Together with the light

[Japanese]

雲をすり抜けて上に

夕方には雨天に

当たる風が余計に ああ、届く絶景に

描くシナリオの上にある

あのおもりは外した

見たいものだけ並べたら

足を踏み入れたエリア

エリア

なあbaby, 夜中に

夢中にやってた昔を笑ったり

静かに青く揺れてる

居ても立っても居れねえ

あの日からずっと鮮明

けど今は99

明日の不安と想いに耽って

それでも99

暇してそうなあいつに送るメッセ

何かが足りない

だるい腰をほんの少し起こして

遠くはない未来で

踊ってる汗に俺の陰

あぁ　この熱い身体をかける血潮　風になったみたい

飛び跳ねていく

あぁ　芽吹く心

満たしてゆく

溢れ出すまで　光と遊ぶ

気にも留めず額に汗

楽しめてた通り雨

お前んちの大通りまで

くっちゃべってたあの夜明け

落ちては沈んでた頃

今では何にも怖くないほとんど

これまでの全部が俺の胸を防御

愛してるこれは俺の走る道路

ただいつもspitで逆さにするbottom

何もなくていい

溢れてく勝手に

今じゃなくていい

ただひたすらに気になることを描いて

ただひたすらに気に入る自分を目指して

描くシナリオの上にある

あのおもりは外した

見たいものだけ並べたら

足を踏み入れたエリア

エリア

なあbaby, 夜中に

夢中にやってた昔を笑ったり

静かに青く揺れてる

居ても立っても居れねえ

あの日からずっと鮮明

あぁ　この熱い身体をかける血潮　風になったみたい

飛び跳ねていく

あぁ　芽吹く心

満たしてゆく

溢れ出すまで　光と遊ぶ

何度も巡る太陽は君と同じ

喜びの足音

響かせ踊る

感じているよ　歌いながら　歩きだすのさ

光とともに

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
笑う(warau) /wəˈraʊ/ A1	verb - to laugh
踊る(odoru) /ˈoʊdɔːrʊ/ A1	verb - to dance
歩く(aruku) /əˈruːkuː/ A1	verb - to walk
夢(yume) /ˈjuːme/ A2	noun - dream
明日(ashita) /ɑːˈʃiːtɑː/ A2	noun - tomorrow
足(ashi) /ˈɑːʃi/ A2	noun - foot, leg
心(kokoro) /koˈkoːroʊ/ B1	noun - heart, mind, spirit
光(hikari) /hiˈkɑːri/ B1	noun - light
熱い(atsui) /ɑːˈtsuːi/ B1	adjective - hot
風(kaze) /ˈkɑːze/ B1	noun - wind
鮮明(senmei) /ˈsɛnmeɪ/ B2	adjective - vivid, clear
溢れる(afureru) /ɑːˈfuːrɛrʊ/ B2	verb - to overflow
絶景(zekkei) /ˈzɛkkeɪ/ B2	noun - superb view, magnificent scenery
巡る(meguru) /meˈɡuːrʊ/ B2	verb - to go around, circulate
防御(bougyo) /ˈboʊɡjoʊ/ C1	noun - defense, protection
芽吹く(Mebuku) /meˈbuːkʊ/ C1	verb - to bud, sprout

Key Grammar Structures

• 当たる風が余計に ああ、届く絶景に

  ➔ Potential form with '届く'

  ➔ '届く' (todoku) normally means 'to reach'. '届く絶景に' (todoku zekkei ni) uses the potential form, implicitly suggesting that the breathtaking view is *reachable* or *can be reached*. It implies effort or progress towards that view.

• なあbaby, 夜中に 夢中にやってた昔を笑ったり

  ➔ たりたり verb (repetition)

  ➔ The grammar "~たり~たり" expresses a series of actions or states that are not exhaustive. It means "doing things like this and that". Here, the speaker is "laughing at the past when we were absorbed in doing things at night" amongst other unspecified things.

• けど今は99 明日の不安と想いに耽って

  ➔ Te-form + いる (progressive/state)

  ➔ The phrase "想いに耽って" implies "想いに耽っている", which means 'being absorbed in thoughts' or 'being lost in thoughts'. The "te-form + iru" construction indicates a continuous action or a state of being.

• 何かが足りない

  ➔ Subject + が + Adjective

  ➔ '何かが足りない' (nanika ga tarinai) translates to 'something is missing'. The particle 'が' marks '何か' (nanika - something) as the subject of the sentence, and '足りない' (tarinai - not enough, lacking) is the adjective describing the subject.

• あぁ　この熱い身体をかける血潮　風になったみたい

  ➔ みたい (mitai) - simile/resemblance

  ➔ '風になったみたい' (kaze ni natta mitai) means 'It's like I became the wind'. 'みたい' (mitai) expresses a feeling of resemblance or similarity. The speaker doesn't literally become the wind, but feels as if they have.

• 落ちては沈んでた頃

  ➔ ～ては～ (te wa) - Repeated Action

  ➔ The grammar pattern "~ては~" describes a repeated action or a cycle. In "落ちては沈んでた頃" (ochite wa shizundetakoro), it means 'the time when I kept falling and sinking'. It suggests a repetitive cycle of failure or misfortune.

• ただいつもspitで逆さにするbottom

  ➔ Verb + にする - to make something into something

  ➔ The phrase "逆さにする" (sakasa ni suru) translates to "to turn upside down" or "to invert". It uses the pattern 'Noun + に + する' to mean 'to make something into something'. The 'something' in this case is '逆さ' (sakasa - upside down) and the 'something' being acted upon (implicitly) is the 'bottom'.