蛍 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Maiko Fujita
• Album: 瞬間

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical world of Maiko Fujita's "蛍" (Hotaru) and discover the emotional depth of Japanese songwriting. This poignant ballad, with its tender piano melody and evocative firefly metaphor, offers a unique opportunity to connect with the nuances of Japanese expression, particularly in conveying complex feelings of love and yearning. Through its heartfelt narrative, you can explore common Japanese phrases for emotions, relationships, and the beauty of nature, making it a perfect song to enhance your language learning journey while appreciating a captivating musical story.

[English]

In the middle of the rainy season

Today, after the rain

A lukewarm breeze

Along a quiet night road

Summer is near as it passes by

Shining brightly

This gaze is stolen

I want to hold it

I want to touch it

You are like a firefly

Are you ready? Not yet

Are you ready? That heart

I can't see your feelings

The more I wish for it, the more it hurts

Even so I can't hate you

Softly, softly

Fireflies dancing in the air

From a little distance away

From a little distance away, it's best to watch

Softly, softly

I can't grasp it, I can't reach it

I can't grasp that heart

'Only I think so'

When I feel it, I want to cry

I can't feel the same way

Are you ready? Not yet

Are you ready? That heart

I can't see your feelings

The more I long for it, the more it hurts

Even so I can't hate you

'Only I think so'

When I feel it, I want to cry

I want to know how you feel

I can't see your feelings

(In the middle of the rainy season

Today, after the rain

A lukewarm breeze

Through the quiet night road)

Even so I can't hate you

(through the quiet night road

summer is near

Today, after the rain)

Summer is near

...

[Japanese]

梅雨の真ん中

今日は雨上がり

生温い風

静かな夜道を

通り抜ける 夏が近い

光り輝き

この目を奪い

手にしたくなる

触れてみたくなる

あなたはこの蛍のよう

もういいかい まだみたい

もういいかい その心

あなたの気持ちが見えない

望むほど苦しくなる

それでも嫌いになれない

ふわりふわりと

宙を舞う蛍

少し離れた場所から

見るのが一番いい

そっと そっと

つかめない 届かない

つかめない その心

'自分だけが思っている'

感じると泣きたくなる

同じ気持ちにはなれない

もういいかい まだみたい

もういいかい その心

あなたの気持ちが見えない

望むほど苦しくなる

それでも嫌いになれない

'自分だけが思っている'

感じると泣きたくなる

あなたの気持ちが知りたい

あなたの気持ちが見えない

(梅雨の真ん中

今日は雨上がり

生温い風

静かな夜道を)

それでも嫌いになれない

(静かな夜道を

通り抜ける 夏が近い

今日は雨上がり)

夏が近い

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
蛍 /hotaru/ B1	noun - firefly
生温い /nuru-i/ B2	adjective - lukewarm
静か /shi-zu-ka/ A2	adjective - quiet
通り抜ける /to-ri-nu-ke-ru/ B1	verb - to pass through
光り輝き /hi-ka-ri-ka-ga-ya-ki/ B2	verb - to shine brightly
奪い /u-ba-i/ B1	verb - to seize
触れる /fu-re-ru/ A2	verb - to touch
苦しい /ku-ru-shi-i/ B1	adjective - painful
舞う /ma-u/ B1	verb - to dance
そっと /so-tto/ A2	adverb - gently
つかめない /tsu-ka-me-na-i/ B1	verb - cannot grasp
望む /no-zo-mu/ A2	verb - to wish
泣きたくなる /na-ki-ta-ku-na-ru/ B2	verb - to feel like crying
知りたい /shi-ri-ta-i/ A2	verb - to want to know
梅雨 /tsuyu/ B2	noun - rainy season

Key Grammar Structures

• あなたはこの蛍のよう

  ➔ simile (AはBのよう)

  ➔ The phrase uses 'よう' to compare the subject (あなた) to a firefly (蛍), highlighting similarities.

• もういいかい まだみたい

  ➔ question formation (AはBかい)

  ➔ The phrase asks for confirmation or a response about whether 'it is okay now'.

• 望むほど苦しくなる

  ➔ expressing conditional (ことによって)

  ➔ This line indicates that the more one desires ('望む'), the more painful it becomes ('苦しくなる').

• 自分だけが思っている

  ➔ expressing exclusivity (だけが)

  ➔ 'だけが' emphasizes that only the speaker is thinking this way, creating a sense of isolation.

• 少し離れた場所から見るのが一番いい

  ➔ noun modification (のが)

  ➔ 'のが' is used to indicate that seeing from a distance is the best way.

• 触れてみたくなる

  ➔ expressing desire (たくなる)

  ➔ This phrase indicates a desire to 'want to touch' something.