初恋 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 宇多田ヒカル
• Album: 初恋

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poignant world of Utada Hikaru's '初恋,' a beautiful song that offers a mature reflection on the profound feelings of first love. Through its elegant lyrics and stripped-down arrangement, you can explore nuanced Japanese expressions of emotion and introspection, making it an excellent piece to deepen your understanding of Japanese language and culture.

[English]

My heart beats loudly, almost annoyingly

My legs tremble, uncharacteristically

Tears quietly run down my cheeks

Telling me that this is my first love

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

If you're human, everyone

Naturally falls in love, I thought

But all along

If I hadn't met you

I can't believe I would have felt this way

For someone else someday

My heart beats loudly, almost annoyingly

My legs start running on their own

Tears certainly run down my cheeks

Telling me that this is my first love

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I was blaming others

For things I couldn't help

Pretending to accept it all

All this time

If I hadn't met you

I might have just been living

Without knowing the meaning of my birth

I want to offer this fragile me

That can be hurt by just a word

A season that will never come again

Was about to announce its end

Clumsily

What I desire

Seems to be within reach

There's no way I can stop chasing it

Whether it's right or not, in truth

No one knows

The branches trembling in the wind

Stretch towards the sunlight

If we can find joy in small things

We can also be hurt by small things

My heart beats wildly

The gentle rain taps on my shoulder now

Even if I hold back, tears overflow

Telling me that this is my first love

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you

...

[Japanese]

うるさいほどに高鳴る胸が

柄にもなく竦む足が今

静かに頬を伝う涙が

私に知らせる これが初恋と

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

人間なら誰しも

当たり前に恋をするものだと

ずっと思っていた だけど

もしもあなたに出会わずにいたら

誰かにいつかこんな気持ちに

させられたとは思えない

うるさいほどに高鳴る胸が

勝手に走り出す足が今

確かに頬を伝う涙が

私に知らせる これが初恋と

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

どうしようもないことを

人のせいにしては

受け入れてるフリをしていたんだ

ずっと

もしもあなたに出会わずにいたら

私はただ生きていたかもしれない

生まれてきた意味も知らずに

言葉一つで傷つくような

ヤワな私を捧げたい今

二度と訪れない季節が

終わりを告げようとしていた

不器用に

欲しいものが

手の届くとこに見える

追わずにいられるわけがない

正しいのかなんて本当は

誰も知らない

風に吹かれ震える梢が

陽の射す方へと伸びていくわ

小さなことで喜び合えば

小さなことで傷つきもした

狂おしく高鳴る胸が

優しく肩を打つ雨が今

こらえても溢れる涙が

私に知らせる これが初恋と

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you, I need you

I need you

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
高鳴る /takanaru/ B2	verb - to beat faster; to flutter
胸 /mune/ A2	noun - chest; heart
涙 /namida/ A2	noun - tears
初恋 /hatsukoi/ B2	noun - first love
恋 /koi/ A2	noun - love
出会う /deau/ B1	verb - to meet; to encounter
生きる /ikiru/ B1	verb - to live
傷つく /kizutsuku/ B2	verb - to get hurt, to be wounded
伝える /tsutaeru/ B1	verb - to tell; to inform
季節 /kisetsu/ A2	noun - season
終わる /owaru/ B1	verb - to end, to finish
欲しい /hoshii/ A2	adjective - want, desired
叶える /kanaeru/ B2	verb - to fulfill; to grant

Key Grammar Structures

• これが初恋と

  ➔ This is... (demonstrative + が particle + noun + ertain copula)

  ➔ Using the demonstrative 'これ' (this) with the particle 'が' emphasizes the subject, and 'と' is used here as a quote marker or to indicate conclusion.

• 人間なら誰しも

  ➔ If you're human, everyone... (conditional + なら + noun + も)

  ➔ The phrase 'なら' expresses a hypothetical conditional 'if', and 'も' emphasizes 'everyone' or 'anyone' within that condition.

• だけど

  ➔ However / But (conjunction)

  ➔ A conjunction used to introduce contrast or an unexpected turn in the narrative.

• 生まれてきた意味も知らずに

  ➔ Without knowing the meaning of being born (て-form + も + verb + ずに)

  ➔ Using the て-form + も + verb + ずに expresses doing something without doing the action of the verb, conveying 'without' doing that action.

• 終わりを告げようとしていた

  ➔ Was about to announce the end (終わり + を + 告げよう + としていた)

  ➔ The phrase '告げようとしていた' combines the volitional form '告げよう' (was about to say) with the 'としていた' to indicate an ongoing intention or action that was about to happen.

• 優しく肩を打つ雨が今

  ➔ The rain gently hitting the shoulder (優しく + 肩を + 打つ + 雨 + が + 今日)

  ➔ This phrase describes rain gently striking the shoulder, with '優しく' (gently) modifying '打つ' (to hit), and '雨' (rain) as the subject.