BOW AND ARROW – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 米津玄師
• Album: Plazma

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the motivational world of "BOW AND ARROW" by 米津玄師, the opening theme for the anime "Medalist". This song offers a powerful message about pursuing your dreams, with lyrics that can inspire you to learn Japanese and capture the nuances of encouragement and determination. Explore how the imagery of a bow and arrow symbolizes the coach-athlete relationship, enhancing your understanding of Japanese culture and values through music.

[English]

Realized my shoes are dirty, rain tracing the rusted double-edged blade

As dreams remain the same, beyond waking up, there are more dreams

Heard that crying voice, the strained sob before it vanishes

Beyond that longing, to find you crouched down

Go, go, at a speed I can't catch up to

Fly, with impulse accelerating

Go, surely I was born to feel this moment

Grab the future, surpass expectations, the wind blows against my forehead

Just watch, surely everyone will notice how dazzling you are

With a fitting voice, surpassing the gaze, go beyond the emptiness

From your changing fingers, now

Let go of your hand

Realized the mystery is solved, on the familiar wooden board with grain

Have I become the adult I longed for back then?

Your suffering is the pain you chose yourself

And that shimmering light you grasped, it’s all yours

I became a bow, took your pale palm, and pulled firmly

Now, you become an arrow that never drifts with the wind

Go, never look back, to a place you can’t reach anymore

Go, go, you've always been shining!

Grab the future, surpass expectations, the wind blows against my forehead

Just watch, surely everyone will notice how dazzling you are

With a fitting voice, surpassing the gaze, go beyond the emptiness

From your changing fingers, now

Let go of your hand

[Japanese]

気づけば靴は汚れ　錆びついた諸刃を伝う雨

憧れはそのままで　夢から目醒めた先には夢

聞こえたその泣き声　消えいる手前の咽ぶソワレ

憧れのその先へ　蹲る君を見つける為

行け　行け　追いつけない速度で

飛べ　インパルス加速して

行け　きっとこの時を感じる為に生まれてきたんだ

未来を掴んで　期待値を超えて　額に吹き刺す風

今に見なよ　きっと君の眩しさに誰もが気づくだろう

相応しい声で　視線追い越して　虚空を超えて行け

見違えていく君の指から今

手を放す

気づけば謎は解かれ　木目ごと見慣れた板の上

あの頃焦がれたような大人になれたかな

そう君の苦悩は君が自分で選んだ痛みだ

そして掴んだあの煌めきも全て君のものだ

僕は弓になって　君の白んだ掌をとって強く引いた

今君は決して風に流れない矢になって　

行け　決して振り向かないで　もう届かない場所へ

行け　行け　君はいつだって輝いていた！

未来を掴んで　期待値を超えて　額に吹き刺す風

今に見なよ　きっと君の眩しさに誰もが気づくだろう

相応しい声で　視線追い越して　虚空を超えて行け

見違えていく君の指から今

手を放す

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
汚れ(yogore) /joˈɡoɾe/ B1	noun - dirt, pollution, stain
錆び(sabi) /ˈsabi/ B2	noun - rust
雨(ame) /ˈame/ A1	noun - rain
夢(yume) /ˈjɯme/ A2	noun - dream
泣き声(nakigoe) /na̠kʲiɡo̞e̞/ B1	noun - cry, weeping voice
速度(sokudo) /so̞kɯ̟do̞/ B1	noun - speed, velocity
時(toki) /to̞kʲi/ A1	noun - time, hour
未来(mirai) /miɾa̠i/ A2	noun - future
風(kaze) /ka̠ze̞/ A1	noun - wind
眩しさ(mabushisa) /ma̠bɯɕiꜜsa/ B2	noun - brightness, dazzling
声(koe) /ko̞e̞/ A1	noun - voice
指(yubi) /jɯꜜbi/ A2	noun - finger
謎(nazo) /na̠zo̞/ B1	noun - riddle, puzzle, mystery
大人(otona) /o̞to̞na̠/ A2	noun - adult
苦悩(kunou) /kɯno̞ː/ B2	noun - suffering, distress, anguish
痛み(itami) /itami/ A2	noun - pain, ache
弓(yumi) /jɯmi/ B1	noun - bow (archery)
矢(ya) /ja/ B1	noun - arrow
輝い(kagayai) /ka̠ɡa̠ja̠i/ B1	verb - to shine, to glitter

Key Grammar Structures

• 気づけば靴は汚れ　錆びついた諸刃を伝う雨

  ➔ Conditional form implied

  ➔ The grammar "気づけば" (kizukeba) implies a conditional "when I noticed", but acts as more of an expression of realization. It could be translated as "Upon noticing".

• 聞こえたその泣き声　消えいる手前の咽ぶソワレ

  ➔ Te-mae (手前) meaning "just before" or "on the verge of"

  ➔ "消えいる手前の咽ぶソワレ" (kieiru temae no musebu soware) means "a sobbing soiree just before disappearing". The "手前" indicates a point close to an action or state.

• 行け　きっとこの時を感じる為に生まれてきたんだ

  ➔ Past Tense + "nda" (んだ): explanation or conviction

  ➔ "生まれてきたんだ" (umarete kita nda) - The "nda" adds a sense of explanation/conviction. It's not just "I was born", but more like "I was born (for this reason!)".

• 今に見なよ　きっと君の眩しさに誰もが気づくだろう

  ➔ 見る (miru) + な (na) + よ (yo) imperative + emphasis

  ➔ "今に見なよ" (ima ni mina yo). "見る" in this form means "see", but adding "なよ" turns it into an imperative form (a softer command) with extra emphasis.

• そう君の苦悩は君が自分で選んだ痛みだ

  ➔ Noun + だ (da): declarative

  ➔ "痛みだ" (itami da) indicates a declaration or definition. The speaker is stating definitively that the suffering *is* a chosen pain.

• そして掴んだあの煌めきも全て君のものだ

  ➔ Noun + のもの (no mono) + だ (da): possessive

  ➔ "君のものだ" (kimi no mono da) signifies possession. It states that the glimmer is *yours*.

• 僕は弓になって　君の白んだ掌をとって強く引いた

  ➔ になって (ni natte): becoming (a state or condition)

  ➔ "弓になって" (yumi ni natte) means "becoming a bow". This indicates a transformation or change in state.

• 今君は決して風に流れない矢になって

  ➔ ～になる (ni naru): to become

  ➔ 矢になって (ya ni natte) means becoming an arrow, showing process

• 行け　決して振り向かないで　もう届かない場所へ

  ➔ 〜ないで (naide): without doing

  ➔ 振り向かないで (furimukanaide) means without looking back