ネーブルオレンジ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 乃木坂46
• Album: ネーブルオレンジ

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the tender world of Nogizaka46 with "Navel Orange," a beautiful J-Pop ballad. Its clear vocals and gentle, nostalgic melody make it an excellent choice for Japanese language learners. Through its relatable themes of bittersweet first love and youthful memories, expressed with vivid imagery, you can grasp emotional nuances and everyday vocabulary, making your language learning journey both meaningful and melodious.

[English]

Just one navel orange in my hand,

I took the train to your town.

Spring always brings back memories,

That bittersweet scent, it calls to me.

Outside the window, a sky without a cloud,

My feelings are fast-forwarding now.

If I could see you, what would I even say?

That season when they lined up in the supermarket,

A navel orange cupped in both hands,

I'm realizing the sweetness of that love now.

That citrus-flavored youth you loved the most,

Where did it disappear to?

...

Bringing the navel orange close to my cheek,

I want to kiss its juicy freshness.

While tossing it up like a ball,

I'm properly facing the reality of now.

And the ticket gate at this station where I've never been before,

What kind of story will it show me?

Navel orange, why am I clutching you so tight?

Why did I come to this town I don't know?

Drawn by this scent, if you somewhere,

Notice me, let's talk about those days back then.

...

Inside this slightly thick peel,

You, whom I cherished, are there, oh.

A navel orange cupped in both hands,

I'm realizing the sweetness of that love now.

That citrus-flavored youth you loved the most,

Where did it disappear to?

What sentimental memories.

There's no way I could actually see you,

Oh, but that's okay (that's okay).

I just wanted to catch a glimpse of the town

Where I heard you were living

Unrequited love, navel orange.

...

[Japanese]

ネーブルオレンジ 一つだけ手にして

君の街まで電車に乗った

春は何かを思い出させる

切なくて甘酸っぱい香りが 誘うんだ

窓の外に 雲ひとつない空

僕の気持ちは 早送りされる

君に会えたら 何が言えるのだろうか？

スーパーマーケットに並んだ あの季節

ネーブルオレンジ 両手で包んで

恋の甘さを今さら思う

君が一番好きだと言った柑橘の青春は

どこへ消えたのか？

ネーブルオレンジ 頬に近づけて

この瑞々しさにくちづけしたくなる

ボールみたいに上へと投げながら

今の現実はちゃんと受け止める

そして 初めて降りた駅の改札は

僕にどんな物語見せるのか？

ネーブルオレンジ なぜに握りしめて

僕は知らない街へ来たのか？

この香りに惹かれ どこかで君が

気づいてくれたなら あの頃を語り合おう

少し厚めのこの皮のその中に

僕が大切にしてた君がいる あぁ

ネーブルオレンジ 両手で包んで

恋の甘さを今さら思う

君が一番好きだと言った柑橘の青春は

どこへ消えたのか？

なんてセンチメンタルな記憶

まさか会えるわけなどないのに

あぁ それでもいい（それでもいい）

君が住んでいると聞かされた

街を一目見たかっただけだ

片想い ネーブルオレンジ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ネーブルオレンジ nēburu orenji B1	noun - Navel orange
手 te A1	noun - hand
街 machi A1	noun - town, city
電車 densha A1	noun - train
春 haru A1	noun - spring
香り kaori A2	noun - scent, fragrance
窓 mado A1	noun - window
雲 kumo A1	noun - cloud
気持ち kimochi A2	noun - feeling, sensation
季節 kisetsu A2	noun - season
恋 koi B1	noun - love, romance
甘さ amasa B1	noun - sweetness
柑橘 kan kitsu B2	noun - citrus
青春 seishun B2	noun - youth
頬 hoho A2	noun - cheek

Key Grammar Structures

• ネーブルオレンジ 一つだけ手にして

  ➔ ～て (te form) indicating a sequence of actions/states

  ➔ The phrase "手にして" (te ni shite) uses the "te" form of the verb "手にする" (te ni suru - to hold). It means "holding" or "with (it) in hand". It describes the state of holding the orange while doing the next action.

• 切なくて甘酸っぱい香りが 誘うんだ

  ➔ ～んだ (nda) for explanation or emphasis

  ➔ The sentence ends with "誘うんだ" (sasounda). The "nda" at the end provides a sense of explanation or emphasis - "it's the fragrance that invites me" or "it is that the fragrance invites me."

• 僕の気持ちは 早送りされる

  ➔ Passive voice (される - sareru)

  ➔ "早送りされる" (hayaokuri sareru) means "(my feelings) are fast-forwarded". The "sareru" is the passive form of the verb "suru" (to do), indicating that the speaker's feelings are being acted upon. It's a literary way to express that the feelings arise involuntarily and quickly.

• 君に会えたら 何が言えるのだろうか？

  ➔ ~たら (tara): Conditional form expressing hypothesis or possibility

  ➔ "会えたら" (aetara) is the conditional form of the verb "会う" (au - to meet). It means "if I could meet (you)" or "if I were to meet (you)". It expresses a hypothetical situation.

• 君が一番好きだと言った柑橘の青春は どこへ消えたのか？

  ➔ Embedded clause with ～と言った (to itta - said)

  ➔ The phrase "君が一番好きだと言った柑橘の青春は" contains an embedded clause. "君が一番好きだと言った" (kimi ga ichiban suki da to itta) means "the citrus fruit you said you liked the most". The entire phrase describes the youthful memories related to the citrus fruit.

• どこかで君が 気づいてくれたなら あの頃を語り合おう

  ➔ ～てくれる (te kureru) for someone doing something for the speaker; ～なら (nara) conditional

  ➔ "気づいてくれたなら" (kizuitte kureta nara) means "if you were to notice (for my benefit)". The "kureru" indicates that her noticing would be beneficial to the speaker. The "nara" makes it conditional. "語り合おう (katariaou)" is the volitional form meaning "let's talk together".

• まさか会えるわけなどないのに

  ➔ ～わけがない (wake ga nai): there is no way that ~; it's impossible that ~

  ➔ "会えるわけなどないのに" (aeru wake nado nai noni) means "even though there's no way we could meet". The "wake ga nai" expresses impossibility or a very low probability.