Lemon – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 米津玄師
• Album: STRAY SHEEP

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on an emotional journey with Kenshi Yonezu's "Lemon," a masterpiece that beautifully navigates themes of grief and cherished memories. Through its poetic lyrics and evocative imagery, you'll discover how Japanese artists express profound human experiences with nuanced sensitivity. Learning the language through this song offers a unique insight into cultural expressions of sorrow and resilience, making it a special and enriching listening experience.

[English]

How wonderful it would have been if it were just a dream

I still see you in my dreams

Like going back to retrieve something forgotten

I brush off the dust of old memories

...

There are happinesses that won't return

You taught me that in the end

The dark past I couldn't speak of

Would remain forever dark without you

I know for sure that I won't be hurt anymore

I understand that now

Even the sadness of that day, even the pain of that day

I loved all of it, together with you

The bitter scent of lemon lingers in my heart

I can't go home until the rain stops

Even now, you are my light

...

In the darkness, I traced your back

I vividly remember that outline

Every time I encounter something I can't handle

What overflows is only tears

What were you doing? What were you looking at?

With a profile I don't know

Somewhere, if you are now

In a similar state of

Tears and loneliness, then please forget about me

I wish for that from the bottom of my heart

Even now, you are my light

今でもあなたはわたしの光

...

You were in love more than you thought

Since then, I can't breathe as I wish

Even though you were so close, it feels like a lie

I can't forget it, that's the only certainty

...

Even the sadness of that day, even the pain of that day

I loved all of it, together with you

The bitter scent of lemon lingers in my heart

I can't go home until the rain stops

Like one half of a divided fruit

Even now, you are my light

...

[Japanese]

夢ならばどれほどよかったでしょう

未だにあなたのことを夢にみる

忘れた物を取りに帰るように

古びた思い出の埃を払う

戻らない幸せがあることを

最後にあなたが教えてくれた

言えずに隠してた昏い過去も

あなたがいなきゃ永遠に昏いまま

きっともうこれ以上傷つくことなど

ありはしないとわかっている

あの日の悲しみさえ あの日の苦しみさえ

そのすべてを愛してた あなたとともに

胸に残り離れない 苦いレモンの匂い

雨が降り止むまでは帰れない

今でもあなたはわたしの光

暗闇であなたの背をなぞった

その輪郭を鮮明に覚えている

受け止めきれないものと出会うたび

溢れてやまないのは涙だけ

何をしていたの 何を見ていたの

わたしの知らない横顔で

どこかであなたが今

わたしと同じ様な

涙にくれ淋しさの中にいるなら

わたしのことなどどうか忘れてください

そんなことを心から願うほどに

今でもあなたはわたしの光

自分が思うより 恋をしていたあなたに

あれから思うように 息ができない

あんなに側にいたのに まるで嘘みたい

とても忘れられない それだけが確か

あの日の悲しみさえ あの日の苦しみさえ

そのすべてを愛してた あなたとともに

胸に残り離れない苦いレモンの匂い

雨が降り止むまでは帰れない

切り分けた果実の片方の様に

今でもあなたはわたしの光

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夢 /mu/ A2	noun - dream
幸せ /shiawase/ A2	noun - happiness
過去 /kako/ B1	noun - past
涙 /namida/ A2	noun - tears
光 /hikari/ A2	noun - light
苦しみ /kurushimi/ B1	noun - suffering
匂い /nioi/ B1	noun - smell
果実 /kajitsu/ B2	noun - fruit
思い出 /omoide/ B1	noun - memory
側 /gawa/ B2	noun - side
悲しみ /kanashimi/ B1	noun - sadness
切り分ける /kiriwakeru/ B2	verb - to divide
忘れる /wasureru/ A2	verb - to forget
帰る /kaeru/ A2	verb - to return
教える /oshieru/ A2	verb - to teach
思う /omou/ A2	verb - to think
傷つく /kizutsuku/ B2	verb - to get hurt

Key Grammar Structures

• 夢ならばどれほどよかったでしょう

  ➔ Conditional form with ば (if) and conjectural でしょう (probably)

  ➔ Expresses a hypothetical or wishful scenario, with ば indicating 'if' and でしょう adding uncertainty or conjecture.

• 未だにあなたのことを夢にみる

  ➔ Use of に to indicate the target of the verb みる (to see/dream).

  ➔ The particle に marks the noun that is the object of dreaming or seeing.

• 古びた思い出の埃を払う

  ➔ Use of を to mark the direct object of the transitive verb 払う (to sweep/clean).

  ➔ を marks the direct object that is being cleaned or removed.

• 古びた思い出の埃を払う

  ➔ Use of the possessive の to indicate 'of' in compound nouns.

  ➔ の indicates possession or a relationship between nouns, meaning 'of'.

• あなたがいなきゃ永遠に昏いまま

  ➔ Conditional form with きゃ (if you don't), contraction of いなければ (if not).

  ➔ A colloquial contraction of いなければ (if you don't), expressing a condition of absence.

• 胸に残り離れない 苦いレモンの匂い

  ➔ Use of に to indicate the location of remaining (胸に), and の to modify nouns (レモンの匂い).

  ➔ に indicates the place where something remains, and の connects nouns to describe the lemon scent.

• 雨が降り止むまでは帰れない

  ➔ Use of までは to denote 'until', showing the boundary of an action.

  ➔ までは indicates 'until' a certain point in time or condition, defining the limit for an action.