DEAREST – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 東方神起
• Album: ZONE

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Japanese through "DEAREST" offers a chance to connect with the language on a deeply emotional level. The song's clear and expressive lyrics about love and farewell provide a beautiful context for understanding nuanced expressions of emotion. What makes "DEAREST" special is its universal theme of selfless love, making it a touching and memorable way to learn Japanese.

[English]

It's almost goodbye.

Wondering if we'll meet again.

Even if it's just for trivial things.

Let's talk for a little while.

Nostalgic glass marbles.

See, they're right here.

Just by shining through the blue sky,

It now seemed like hope.

Both dreams and reality,

Blessings and struggles,

I want to stay by your side and witness it all,

But I have to go now, so...

Smile, smile, show your face.

Even if an uncertain future is waiting there,

You're always walking with the person you love.

Under the distant sky,

There was a kind you.

Feeling that we're connected.

From now on,

Beyond what seems like a painted sky,

Even if tomorrow I disappear,

You will keep smiling, keep smiling...

At the long, long end of the road,

Many encounters await.

You’re always walking with the person you love.

Under the distant sky,

There you are, always walking together.

You, no matter the time,

Keep smiling and walking.

[Japanese]

もうすぐさよなら

もう会えないかな？

他愛のないくらいでいいから

少し話そう

懐かしいガラス玉

ほらここにあるよ

青空透かすだけで

今 希望に見えた

憧れも　現実も

祝福も　葛藤も

ずっとそばで見届けたいけど

もう行かなくちゃ　だから…

笑って　笑って　顔を見せて

不安な未来がそこにあっても

君はいつも好きな人と

並んで歩いていて

遠い空の下に

優しかった君がいて

繋がってんだって感じていられる

これからは

絵空みたいな　時間を越えて

明日 僕が消えていても

君は笑って　笑って…

永い　永い　途の先で

色んな出会いが待っていても

君はいつも好きな人と

並んで歩いていて

君は　君は　どんな時も

笑って歩いていて

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
さよなら (sayonara) /säjoːnäɾä/ A1	noun - goodbye
会う (au) /äu/ A1	verb - to meet
話す (hanasu) /hänäsɯ/ A1	verb - to speak, to talk
ガラス玉 (garasudama) /ɡäɾäsɯdämä/ A2	noun - glass ball, marble
青空 (aozora) /äozöɾä/ A2	noun - blue sky
希望 (kibou) /kiboː/ B1	noun - hope
憧れ (akogare) /äkoɡäɾe/ B2	noun - yearning, longing, aspiration
現実 (genjitsu) /ɡendʑitsu/ B1	noun - reality
祝福 (shukufuku) /ʃɯkɯfɯkɯ/ B2	noun - blessing, benediction verb - to bless, to congratulate
葛藤 (kattou) /kättoː/ C1	noun - conflict, struggle
未来 (mirai) /miɾäi/ A2	noun - future
空 (sora) /soɾä/ A1	noun - sky
優しい (yasashii) /jäɕäɕiː/ A2	adjective - kind, gentle
時間 (jikan) /dʑikän/ A1	noun - time
明日 (ashita) /äɕitä/ A1	noun - tomorrow
出会い (deai) /deäi/ A2	noun - encounter, meeting

Key Grammar Structures

• もうすぐさよなら

  ➔ もうすぐ (mou sugu)

  ➔ The phrase "もうすぐ" indicates an action or event happening "soon" or "shortly".

• 少し話そう

  ➔ 話そう (hanasou)

  ➔ The verb "話そう" is the volitional form of "話す" (to speak), used to suggest "let's" do something.

• 青空透かすだけで

  ➔ 透かす (sukasu)

  ➔ "だけで" means "just by" or "only with", emphasizing that the action or quality is achieved simply by doing the preceding action.

• 笑って　笑って　顔を見せて

  ➔ て-form + ください (imperative)

  ➔ The repeated use of the て-form plus ください creates an imperative or a gentle command "please" to do the actions.

• 今 希望に見えた

  ➔ に (particle indicating target or direction)

  ➔ The particle "に" indicates the target or the point at which the action or state is aimed or perceived.

• ずっとそばで見届けたいけど

  ➔ たい (want to) + けど (but)

  ➔ The たい form expresses desire "want to" do something, while けど introduces a contrast or concession "but".

• 君はいつも好きな人と

  ➔ は (topic particle)

  ➔ The particle "は" marks the topic of the sentence, highlighting "君" (you) as the subject of the sentence.