図鑑 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: SEKAI NO OWARI

Lyrics & Translation

[Japanese]

[English]

水を知らない 魚のように

Like fish unaware of water,

今あるものには 鈍感な僕ら

We, oblivious to what's right in front of us.

ありのままじゃ いられなかった

We couldn't just be ourselves,

自分だけ違う図鑑の生き物みたいに

Like creatures from a different encyclopedia.

枯れていって 膝をついた

We withered and knelt,

それでも日々を続ける 僕らまるで

Still, we continue our days, just like...

茹だる夏に生きるシロクマ

Polar bears living in a scorching summer,

闇に咲く花

Flowers blooming in the darkness.

呼吸する為の空気が目減りする中で

As the air we breathe slowly diminishes,

居場所を探している そんな生き物なんだ

We are creatures searching for a place to belong.

図鑑にはいない僕と君は

You and I, who aren't in the encyclopedia,

銀世界駆けるライオン

Lions racing through a silver world,

水中のサボテン

Cacti underwater.

呼吸する為の空気が少ないんだったら

If the air for breathing is scarce,

あざみの綿毛のように 飛んでゆけ どこまでも

Like thistle fluff, fly anywhere and everywhere,

根を張る場所を探し求めて

Searching for a place to take root.

光を知らない 花のように

Like flowers that don't know light,

手にしたものには 傲慢な僕ら

We, arrogant about what we have in hand.

ありのままで 貴方は十分だわ

"You are enough just as you are"—

そんな欺瞞がこの街を美しく飾ったけど

Such deceit beautifully decorated this city, yet...

飢えていって 渇いていった

We grew hungry and thirsty.

それでも夜明けを待つ 僕らまるで

Still, we await the dawn, just like...

雷鳴の空飛ぶコウモリ

Bats flying in a thundering sky,

炎天下のペンギン

Penguins under the scorching sun.

呼吸する為の空気が目減りする中で

As the air we breathe slowly diminishes,

居場所を探している そんな生き物同士

Fellow creatures searching for a place to belong,

出会ったのかな 僕と君は

Is that how you and I met?

電線にとまったペリカン

Pelicans perched on power lines,

大都会の蛍

Fireflies of the big city.

この街で暮らす僕らの呼吸をする音

The sound of our breathing, living in this city,

確かに存在してる ここにいるって叫んでる

Definitely existing, shouting 'we are here'.

図鑑にはいない僕と君は

You and I, who aren't in the encyclopedia,

茹だる夏に生きるシロクマ

Polar bears living in a scorching summer,

闇に咲く花

Flowers blooming in the darkness.

呼吸する為の空気が目減りする中で

As the air we breathe slowly diminishes,

居場所を探している そんな生き物なんだ

We are creatures searching for a place to belong.

図鑑のページに 風が吹いていく

Wind blows across the pages of the encyclopedia.

あざみの綿毛のように 飛んでゆけ どこまでも

Like thistle fluff, fly anywhere and everywhere,

根を張る場所を探し求めて

Searching for a place to take root.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
図鑑 /zɯkãɴ/ B1	noun - illustrated encyclopedia, picture book (especially for nature/biology)
生き物 /ikimono/ B2	noun - living thing, creature, organism
呼吸 /kokuː/ B2	noun - breath, respiration verb - to breathe (when used with する)
空気 /kuːki/ A1	noun - air, atmosphere
居場所 /ibaʃo/ B1	noun - whereabouts, place to be, one's location
探す /saɡasɯ/ A2	verb - to search for, to look for, to seek
闇 /jami/ A2	noun - darkness, gloom, blackness, evil
花 /hana/ A1	noun - flower, blossom
光 /hikaɾi/ A2	noun - light, gleam, ray
水 /mizɯ/ A1	noun - water, liquid
鈍感 /doɴkaɴ/ B2	adjective - insensitive, dull, thickheaded
傲慢 /ɡoːmaɴ/ B2	adjective - arrogant, haughty, proud
欺瞞 /ɡimaɴ/ B2	noun - deception, fraud, deceit
枯れる /kaɾeɾɯ/ B1	verb - to wither, to dry up, to die (plant)
飢える /ɯeɾɯ/ B1	verb - to starve, to be hungry, to be famished
渇く /kawaku/ B1	verb - to get dry, to be thirsty
根 /ne/ B1	noun - root (of a plant), origin, basis
飛ぶ /tobɯ/ A2	verb - to fly, to jump, to skip
求める /motomeɾɯ/ B2	verb - to seek, to request, to demand, to search for
目減り /mebeɾi/ B2	noun - decrease in quantity, loss, shrinkage

Key Grammar Structures

• 水を知らない 魚のように

  ➔ Verb + Noun Modification (連体修飾)

  ➔ 「知らない」("shiranai"), the negative form of a verb, directly modifies the noun "魚" ("sakana"), describing "fish that don't know water." This is a common way to use verbs to describe nouns in Japanese.

• ありのままじゃ いられなかった

  ➔ Potential Form (可能形) + Negative + Past

  ➔ 「いられなかった」("irarenakatta") is the potential form of "いる" (iru - to be/exist), made negative and past tense. It means "couldn't be/exist". "ありのままじゃ" is a colloquial contraction of "ありのままでは" (in one's true self/as one is).

• 枯れていって 膝をついた

  ➔ Verb + ていく (Te-iku)

  ➔ 「枯れていって」("karete itte") uses the Te-form of a verb followed by "いく" (iku), indicating a gradual change or a process that moves away from the speaker or progresses over time. Here, it describes the process of "withering away."

• 呼吸する為の空気が目減りする中で

  ➔ ～為の (～tame no)

  ➔ 「為の」("tame no"), typically used as "～のための" (no tame no), indicates purpose or use: "for the purpose of" or "used for." Here, it describes "air for the purpose of breathing."

• そんな生き物なんだ

  ➔ のだ / んだ (Noda / N'da) - Explanatory/Emphatic

  ➔ 「んだ」("n'da") is the colloquial form of "のだ" (noda), a grammatical structure that adds an explanatory, emphatic, or assertive nuance to a statement. Here, it conveys an explanatory or understanding tone, meaning "it is such a creature (you see)."

• 少ないんだったら

  ➔ んだたら (N'dattara) - Conditional + Explanatory

  ➔ 「んだったら」("n'dattara") is a colloquial contraction of 「のであるならば」 (no de aru naraba), a conditional form that assumes an explanation or reason. It means "if it is the case that..." or "if that's the reason/situation," often used for suggestions, advice, or inferences.

• 飛んでゆけ どこまでも

  ➔ Imperative Form (命令形)

  ➔ 「ゆけ」("yuke") is the imperative form of the verb "いく" (iku - to go), conveying a strong command or urging action, similar to "行け" (ike) but with a more poetic or archaic feel.

• 飾ったけど

  ➔ けど (Kedo) - Conjunction for Contrast/Concession

  ➔ 「けど」("kedo") is a conjunctive particle indicating contrast or concession, similar to "～けれども" (keredomo) or "～けれど" (keredo). It connects two clauses where the second clause presents something contrary or unexpected in relation to the first, meaning "but" or "although."

• 出会ったのかな

  ➔ ～のかな (No ka na) - Question with Wonder/Uncertainty

  ➔ 「のかな」("no ka na") is a question particle combined with "な" (na), expressing the speaker's wonder, uncertainty, or speculation about something. It's similar to "I wonder if..." or "Is it that...?"

• ここにいるって叫んでる

  ➔ って (Tte) - Colloquial Quotation Particle

  ➔ 「って」("tte") is a colloquial particle used after a verb or a sentence to indicate a quotation or thought, meaning "that..." or "saying that..." (colloquial for "と"). Here, it means "shouting that they are here." "叫んでる" is a contraction of "叫んでいる" (shouting, present progressive).