かくれんぼ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 優里, 尾崎匠海, 藤牧京介
• Album: 壱

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt world of Japanese emotion with Yuuri's 'Kakurenbo'! This poignant J-Pop ballad offers a unique window into expressions of loss and lingering love, making it an excellent song for language learners. Through its evocative lyrics and relatable themes of a breakup, you can explore everyday Japanese vocabulary related to feelings, relationships, and even playful childhood games. The song's clear vocals and engaging storytelling make it special for understanding the nuances of spoken Japanese and cultural expressions of sadness and longing.

[English]

This cramped, messy room

Loneliness and our shared breath fill it

You, who cleaned up while complaining, are still out

The tumbler you gave me

Even the picture of the Statue of Liberty

looks lonely in the corner of the room

You said “see you later,” right?

You kept nagging me to stop lying, didn’t you?

So you’re really going to lie?

Leaving me alone is wrong

Stop playing hide‑and‑seek

Just say “it’s okay” already

Alright, is it okay? Those words float in the air

Stop playing hide‑and‑seek

Don’t tease me with “not yet”

Is it okay now?

Is it okay now?

Goodbye

Every time I see your dream again

I mutter “again?” and cry alone, back into the dream

The lingering shadows hidden in the room

are easy to find,

but you’re good at hiding

I close my eyes

Hold my knees, still only ten seconds left

Even though I haven’t finished counting

Because I peeked and cheated

Did you perhaps disappear somewhere?

Did I lose at rock‑paper‑scissors and become “it”?

Don’t hide so well

Come out, it’s okay now, the sun is setting

Stop playing hide‑and‑seek

Answer this voice

Is it okay now?

It’s fine, let me hear you

Where are you?

It’s stupid, I know, it’s stupid

I no longer feel you

Your mind

is packed, like the morning Odakyu line

There’s no room for me to hop on

maybe there isn’t any

Don’t leave me alone

Stop playing hide‑and‑seek

Just say “it’s okay” already

Alright, is it okay? Those words drift in the air

Stop playing hide‑and‑seek

Don’t tease me with “not yet”

Is it okay now?

Is it okay now?

Goodbye

[Japanese]

散らかったこの狭い部屋は

孤独と二人息が詰まる

文句を言いながら片づけてくれた君は出かけたまま

君に貰ったタンブラー

自由の女神のイラストも

部屋の隅で寂しそうな顔をしてる

君はまたねって言ったよね

嘘はやめてと口うるさく言ってたでしょ

そんな君が嘘をつくの？

僕を一人置いていくなんて間違ってるよ

かくれんぼなんかしてないで

もういいよって早く言って

もういいかいその言葉が宙に舞う

かくれんぼなんかしてないで

まだだよって焦らさないで

もういいかい

もういいかい

グッバイ

君の夢何度も僕は見るたびに

またかよって言葉をこぼして一人泣きまた夢の中に

部屋に隠れた面影たちは

簡単に見つけられるのに

君はさ隠れるのが上手だね

僕は目瞑って

膝抱えて まだ10秒

数え終わっていないのに

覗き見してズルしたから

君はどこかいなくなってしまったのかな

じゃんけんで負けて僕が鬼？

そんな上手に隠れないで

出てきてよ もういいだろ日が沈む

かくれんぼなんかしてないで

この声に答えてよ

もういいかい

もういいよ聞かせて

どこにいるの

バカだよなわかってるよバカさ

もう君からは僕を感じないんだ

君の頭の中は

満員まるで朝の小田急線

僕が乗り込む隙間なんて

ないのかな

ひとりにしないで

かくれんぼなんかしてないで

もういいよって早く言って

もういいかいその言葉が宙に舞う

かくれんぼなんかしてないで

まだだよって焦らさないで

もういいかい

もういいかい

グッバイ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
かくれんぼ /kakura̠ɴbo̞/ A2	noun - hide and seek
狭い /se̞mai̯/ A2	adjective - narrow
孤独 /ko̞do̞ku̟/ B1	noun - loneliness
寂しそう /sa̠mi̥ʃi̥so̞ː/ B1	adjective - lonely-looking
嘘 /uso̞/ A2	noun - lie
間違ってる /ma̠chi̥gat̚te̞rɯ̟/ A2	verb - to be wrong
隠れる /ka̠gɛ̝rɯ̟/ A2	verb - to hide
上手 /dʑo̞ːzu̥/ A2	adjective - skilled
夢 /jume/ A1	noun - dream
面影 /o̞mo̞ka̠ɡe̞/ B2	noun - remembrance
覗き見 /no̞zo̞ki̥mi̥/ B1	verb - to peek
じゃんけん /dʑa̠ŋke̞ɴ/ A2	noun - rock-paper-scissors
満員 /ma̠ŋi̥e̞ɴ/ B1	adjective - full
隙間 /suki̥ma̠/ B1	noun - gap
ひとり /hi̥to̞ri̥/ A1	noun - alone

Key Grammar Structures

• 散らかったこの狭い部屋は孤独と二人息が詰まる

  ➔ Nominalization + Relative Clause + Verb

  ➔ The sentence uses a nominalized phrase "散らかったこの狭い部屋は (this messy, narrow room)" as the topic, followed by a description of what happens *with* it. The 'は' marks the topic. The phrase functions as a noun, and the verb '詰まる (tsumaru - to be stifled)' describes the state of being stifled *with* loneliness.

• 君に貰ったタンブラー自由の女神のイラストも部屋の隅で寂しそうな顔をしてる

  ➔ Past Passive + Noun + Noun + Adjectival Noun + Verb

  ➔ The phrase "君に貰ったタンブラー (the tumbler you gave me)" uses the passive form '貰った (moratta - received)' to indicate the tumbler was *received* from '君 (you)'. The 'も' adds emphasis, including the illustration as well. “寂しそうな顔をしてる (shibushisou na kao o shiteru - looks lonely)” uses the '～そうな (～sou na)' construction to express an appearance or conjecture.

• 君はまたねって言ったよね嘘はやめてと口うるさく言ってたでしょ

  ➔ Quotation + Question Particle + Conditional '～たら' + Adverb + Verb

  ➔ The 'よね (yo ne)' at the end of "君はまたねって言ったよね (You said 'see you again', right?)” is a seeking-confirmation particle. “嘘はやめてと口うるさく言ってたでしょ (You were nagging me to stop lying, weren't you?)” uses '～たら (～tara)' to express a conditional – 'if you were doing something'. '口うるさく (kuchiusaku)' is an adverb meaning 'naggingly'.

• そんな君が嘘をつくの？僕を一人置いていくなんて間違ってるよ

  ➔ Noun + Relative Clause + Verb + Question Marker + Noun + Verb + Negative + Adjective

  ➔ The question "そんな君が嘘をつくの？ (You, of all people, would tell a lie?)” uses the question marker 'の (no)' to express surprise or disbelief. “僕を一人置いていくなんて間違ってるよ (Leaving me alone like this is wrong)” uses '～なんて (～nante)' to emphasize the situation as being particularly bad or unacceptable.