馬と鹿 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 米津玄師

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depths of Kenshi Yonezu's "Uma to Shika," a powerful J-Pop ballad that offers a unique window into Japanese lyricism. Through its poetic exploration of resilience and the profound question of love, you can experience the beauty and emotional nuance of the Japanese language. The song's thoughtful wordplay and evocative imagery make it a compelling piece for language learners to uncover deeper meanings and cultural insights.

[English]

A distorted, scarred spring

I walked without anesthesia

Resonating deep within my body

Strongly feeling that I haven't lived enough

Still savoring the taste of chewed gum

With a heart that can't cool down

At the end of losing one by one

Finally, what remains

If this isn't love, then what do we call it?

I didn't know

Call it out, just one name of a flower

So much it could burst

Noses touching, breath stops

It's okay if the pain doesn't go away

What do you say with those tired eyes?

I walked while hiding my scars

Yet I scattered shadows

I wanted you to notice

Can I still walk? The taste of the sand I bit down on

On the grass wet with dew at night

Words that ask in my eager heart

It's still too early to end

I couldn't smile well enough so that no one would be sad

I wasn't good at it

Just one, only one is fine, as long as I can protect it

That would have been enough

Such a trivial wish that won't disappear

A soul that no one can take away

What can I compare it to, you and me?

Similar scars left on our heels

If I connect the clear skies, it still continues

Let's go before the flowers bloom

If this isn't love, then what do we call it?

I didn't know

Call it out, as you fear, the name of the flower

It has to be you

Noses touching, breath stops

It's okay if the pain doesn't go away

Such a trivial wish that won't disappear

It won't stop

[Japanese]

歪んで傷だらけの春

麻酔も打たずに歩いた

体の奥底で響く

生き足りないと強く

まだ味わうさ　噛み終えたガムの味

冷めきれないままの心で

ひとつひとつなくした果てに

ようやく残ったもの

これが愛じゃなければなんと呼ぶのか

僕は知らなかった

呼べよ　花の名前をただ一つだけ

張り裂けるくらいに

鼻先が触れる　呼吸が止まる

痛みは消えないままでいい

疲れたその目で何を言う

傷跡隠して歩いた

そのくせ影をばら撒いた

気づいて欲しかった

まだ歩けるか　噛み締めた砂の味

夜露で濡れた芝生の上

はやる胸に　尋ねる言葉

終わるにはまだ早いだろう

誰も悲しまぬように微笑むことが

上手くできなかった

一つ　ただ一つでいい　守れるだけで

それでよかったのに

あまりにくだらない　願いが消えない

誰にも奪えない魂

何に例えよう　君と僕を

踵に残る似た傷を

晴れ間を結えばまだ続く

行こう花も咲かないうちに

これが愛じゃなければなんと呼ぶのか

僕は知らなかった

呼べよ　恐れるままに花の名前を

君じゃなきゃ駄目だと

鼻先が触れる　呼吸が止まる

痛みは消えないままでいい

あまりにくだらない　願いが消えない

止まない

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
春 /haru/ A1	noun - spring (the season)
傷 /kizu/ B1	noun - wound, injury
愛 /ai/ A2	noun - love
心 /kokoro/ A2	noun - heart, mind
痛み /itami/ B1	noun - pain
言葉 /kotoba/ B1	noun - word, language
願い /negai/ B2	noun - wish, desire
影 /kage/ B2	noun - shadow
花 /hana/ A1	noun - flower
名前 /namae/ A2	noun - name
目 /me/ A1	noun - eye
魂 /tamashii/ B2	noun - soul
歩く /aruku/ A1	verb - to walk
消える /kieru/ B1	verb - to disappear
強い /tsuyoi/ A2	adjective - strong
冷たい /tsumetai/ B1	adjective - cold
続く /tsuzuku/ B1	verb - to continue

Key Grammar Structures

• まだ味わうさ　噛み終えたガムの味

  ➔ The use of まだ (mada) indicates 'still' or 'yet', expressing an ongoing state.

  ➔

• 呼べよ　花の名前をただ一つだけ

  ➔ The command form 呼べよ (yobe yo) is a casual imperative, used to give a strong suggestion or command.

  ➔

• 痛みは消えないままでいい

  ➔ The phrase ままでいい (mamade ii) expresses that it is acceptable to remain in the current state.

  ➔

• 傷跡隠して歩いた

  ➔ The te-form 隠して (kakushite) combined with 歩いた (aruita) indicates 'hid and then walked', showing sequence or manner.

  ➔

• 終わるにはまだ早いだろう

  ➔ The combination に is used here to indicate purpose or point of view, 'to', as in 'to end'.

  ➔

• 誰にも奪えない魂

  ➔ The potential form 奪えない (utae nai) indicates 'cannot be stolen', emphasizing inability.

  ➔

• 何に例えよう　君と僕を

  ➔ The verb 例えよう (tatoeyou) is volitional, meaning 'let's compare' or 'shall we compare'.

  ➔