Asphyxia – English Lyrics

• By: Cö shu Nie

Lyrics & Translation

"Asphyxia" by Cö shu Nie is a compelling Japanese rock song that served as the intense opening theme for *Tokyo Ghoul:re*. Its intricate lyrics, rich with themes of struggle and self-discovery, offer an excellent opportunity to delve into the nuances of the Japanese language. Listen closely to the vocalist's powerful emotional delivery and the band's unique musical complexity, which includes shifting time signatures designed to evoke the song's namesake, "asphyxia." This song is special for its deep thematic resonance and its artistic musical composition, making it a powerful and engaging piece for language learners.

[English]

夜に閉じ込められた子は

無表情に息を止めた

...

「だってどうしょうもないことばかりじゃない

変えられない世界で溺れている

Open your eyes

沈む影 どんな今でも これが現実

自由とは何？

あなたがくれた痛みが

愛かもしれないと ひとりで期待していた

僕を淘汰する シャーデンフロイデは要らん

わざとらしい ドラマティックには飽きた

Discordに耽美して

...

不条理"仕方ない"なんて

いつまで言えるのか

どれだけ諦めれば 気が済むんだろう

笑える

壊れても生きて

期待外れの endroll

何度も折れた心で僕は続く

息を吸う毎に

錆びて行く体だから

剥がれ落ちる僕も認めて闘うだけだ」

Elegyに少しも表情を変えず

夜の中 息を始める

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
breath /brɛθ/ B1	noun - the air taken into or expelled from the lungs
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort
shadow /ˈʃædoʊ/ A2	noun - a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ B1	noun - the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants
expectation /ˌɛkspɛkˈteɪʃən/ B2	noun - a strong belief that something will happen or be the case
reality /riˈælɪti/ B1	noun - the state of things as they actually exist
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows
drama /ˈdrɑːmə/ B1	noun - a play for theater, radio, or television
end /ɛnd/ A1	noun - the final part of something
suffocate /ˈsʌfəkeɪt/ B2	verb - to die or cause to die from lack of air or inability to breathe
drown /draʊn/ B2	verb - to die by submerging in water and unable to breathe
hope /hoʊp/ A2	verb - to want something to happen or be true

Key Grammar Structures

• 無表情に息を止めた

  ➔ Use of adverbial phrase 'に' to indicate manner or state

  ➔ 'に' is used here to show the manner in which the subject '子' (child) is acting — with an expressionless face.

• 変えられない世界で溺れている

  ➔ Potential form '変えられない' indicating inability to change

  ➔ '変えられない' is the potential form of '変える' (to change), meaning 'cannot change'.

• 沈む影 どんな今でも これが現実

  ➔ Use of 'でも' to mean 'even' or 'despite'

  ➔ 'でも' indicates concession, meaning 'even' or 'despite' the current state.

• 期待外れの endroll

  ➔ Use of の to connect noun-modifying phrase '期待外れ' to 'endroll'

  ➔ 'の' is the possessive or nominalizer particle linking '期待外れ' (disappointment) to 'endroll'.

• 壊れても生きて

  ➔ Use of ても to mean 'even if' or 'despite' in concessive clause

  ➔ 'ても' expresses concessive meaning, indicating 'even if broken, I will live'.

• 夜の中 息を始める

  ➔ Use of '中' to denote 'inside' or 'amidst'

  ➔ '中' indicates that the action of starting to breathe is happening within or amidst darkness or night.