クロノスタシス – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: BUMP OF CHICKEN

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the evocative world of BUMP OF CHICKEN's "Chronostasis," a compelling song that offers a unique window into Japanese culture and thought through its rich lyrical themes. This track provides an excellent opportunity to explore nuanced Japanese expressions related to time, memory, and emotion. Its deep, introspective lyrics and distinctive electronic rock sound make it a special and engaging piece for language learners, offering insights into poetic language and metaphorical storytelling in Japanese music.

[English]

Until I open the door once again

Living through a day that feels like just getting by on quotas

Stacked like unread letters

Then I leave the room again

In the early morning, I was probably dreaming

I didn't try to remember

Nostalgia leaves footprints like traces

Because it remained as evidence

Main street

Someone’s promise that was dropped

Crosses over

This town hides its true place

A line of outcasts

Waiting for answers while standing in line

How can I save myself?

Like an old painting on display

In memories where the second hand has stopped

Your voice I’ve heard so many times

Still searching for the words I had tucked away

A small blinking light I saw from the cloud gap atop a billboard

Seems like a sign I’m here

It disappeared into the distance

Suddenly reminded, I recall

Just a coincidence—like the key

Like hearing someone sneeze in a similar way, or a certain scent

Just that brief moment

Because I’m cowardly and cunning

I have to pretend I forgot

Or else I might run away

Like I could change the future, just with a bit of power

It doesn’t have to be grand

In a world without you

I want to answer the reason I keep breathing

A fragment left deep inside me

Something the clock couldn’t erase

Straining my dried throat

Someday, I want to tell you...

There’s something I want to say

I tried to cover it with cliché lines

And I laughed when necessary

Why am I still so dazzled by all these moments I didn't pick up?

Now, everything feels painfully bright

This town hides its true place

A line of outcasts

Waiting in line for answers

How can I save myself?

A fragment left deep inside me

Something the clock couldn’t erase

Straining my dried throat

Someday, I want to tell you...

There was something I didn't want to lose

A place I wanted to go back to

In a world without you

I want to respond to yesterday when we were together

Like an old painting on display

In memories where the second hand has stopped

Your voice repeats vividly

The answer it carried, still

Searching now for the words I had kept hidden

[Japanese]

もう一度ドアを開けるまで

ノルマで生き延びただけのような今日を

読まない手紙みたいに重ねて

また部屋を出る

明け方　多分夢を見ていた

思い出そうとはしなかった

懐かしさが足跡みたいに

証拠として残っていたから

大通り

誰かの落とした約束が

跨がれていく

この街は居場所を隠している

仲間外れ達の行列

並んだままで待つ答えで

僕は僕を　どう救える

飾られた古い絵画のように

秒針の止まった記憶の中

何回も聞いた　君の声が

しまっていた言葉を　まだ　探している

ビルボードの上　雲の隙間に

小さな点滅を見送った

ここにいると教えるみたいに

遠くなって消えていった

不意を突かれて思い出す

些細な偶然だけ　鍵にして

どこか似たくしゃみ　聞いただとか

匂いがした　その程度で

臆病で狡いから

忘れたふりをしなきゃ

逃げ出しそうで

例えば未来　変えられるような

大それた力じゃなくていい

君のいない　世界の中で

息をする理由に応えたい

僕の奥　残ったひと欠片

時計にも消せなかったもの

枯れた喉を　振り絞って

いつか君に伝えたいことがあるだろう

それっぽい台詞で誤魔化した

必要に応じて笑ったりした

拾わなかった瞬間ばかり　どうしてこんなに

今更いちいち眩しい

この街は居場所を隠している

仲間外れ達の行列

並んだままで待つ答えで

僕は僕を　どう救える

僕の奥　残ったひと欠片

時計にも消せなかったもの

枯れた喉を　振り絞って

いつか君に伝えたいことが

失くしたくないものがあったよ

帰りたい場所だってあったよ

君のいない　世界の中で

君といた昨日に応えたい

飾られた古い絵画のように

秒針の止まった記憶の中

鮮明に繰り返す　君の声が

運んできた答えを　まだ

しまっていた言葉を　今　探している

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ドア /doa/ A1	noun - door
今日 /kyoː/ A1	noun - today
思い出 /omoide/ B1	noun - memory
約束 /yakusoku/ B1	noun - promise
街 /machi/ A2	noun - town/street
声 /koe/ A1	noun - voice
記憶 /kioku/ B2	noun - memory
力 /chikara/ B1	noun - power/strength
理由 /riyuu/ B2	noun - reason
未来 /mirai/ B1	noun - future
瞬間 /shunkan/ B2	noun - moment
言葉 /kotoba/ B1	noun - word/language
伝える /tsutaeru/ B1	verb - to convey/communicate
探す /sagasu/ A2	verb - to search/look for
消える /kieru/ B1	verb - to disappear

Key Grammar Structures

• 大通り 誰かの落とした約束が 跨がれていく

  ➔ The passive form using られる to indicate that something can be crossed or is passively being crossed.

  ➔ The suffix "られる" is used here to form the passive voice, indicating that the promise **is being crossed**.

• 秒針の止まった記憶の中

  ➔ Use of the の particle to nominalize and connect nouns, creating a phrase that describes a specific kind of memory.

  ➔ The の particle connects "秒針" (second hand) and "止まった記憶" (stopped memory), forming a descriptive phrase.

• 何回も聞いた 君の声が

  ➔ Use of the potential form of 聞く (きく) to indicate repeated listening, coupled with が to mark the subject (the voice).

  ➔ The potential form of 聞く (きく) is used to express the ability or repetition of listening, with が marking the subject "君の声" (your voice).

• 必要に応じて笑ったりした

  ➔ Using たり to list actions as examples of things done optionally or intermittently.

  ➔ The form たり is used after the ta-form of verbs to list multiple actions as examples, indicating these are optional or intermittent.

• 帰りたい場所だってあったよ

  ➔ Using だって to emphasize that the place one wants to return to is also included in the previous statement.

  ➔ The particle だって is used here to add emphasis, indicating that the place they want to return to is among those considered or remembered.

• いつか君に伝えたいことがあるだろう

  ➔ Using だろう to express conjecture or expectation about having something to tell in the future.

  ➔ The ending だろう is used to indicate a probable or conjectured future state, suggesting that they expect to have something to convey someday.