のびしろ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Creepy Nuts

Lyrics & Translation

“のびしろ” by Creepy Nuts is a powerful hip-hop track that delves into the journey of self-acceptance and continuous growth, even in adulthood. Through its relatable lyrics about navigating life's complexities and embracing imperfections, this song offers a unique opportunity to explore modern Japanese expressions and cultural perspectives on personal development. Its clever wordplay and strong message make it an engaging piece for language learners.

[English]

Ways to slack off and ways to be lazy

How to run away, how to make excuses, I finally started to remember

I’ve learned to have a flexible mind

How to act cool, how to get into the groove

How to stay composed, how to act mature

I’ve really ramped up my confidence

With dull, reckless eyes and an unruly body

How to be disliked, how to be loved

How to scold properly, how to clash beautifully

There are so many things I want to learn...

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

We still only have room to grow

In this city that used to treat us as villains

To the adults who've always labeled us as villains

I’m changing, looking into the mirror

Even if I ask, the answer’s yeah yeah yeah

I don’t chase after those who leave, I step back when needed

I smooth things over or brush things off easily

You’re laughing in the mirror

I couldn’t even fold it into three characters

Walking with heavier steps each day

Strolling at my own pace

I do what I get to do

And I trust what I do

With fairly casual plans

Maybe I finally understand

How to pilot this old junk

More so than when I was 19 and thinking 'It’s finally happening...'

I feel even more refreshed and clear-minded

Crossing the Sumida River

Over Kachidoki Bridge

With the Tokyo Skytree on my left

And Tokyo Tower on my right

I stand in the middle

Ways to slack off and ways to be lazy

How to run away, how to make excuses, I finally started to remember

I’ve learned to have a flexible mind

How to act cool, how to get into the groove

How to stay composed, how to act mature

I’ve really ramped up my confidence

With dull, reckless eyes and an unruly body

The feeling of happiness just speeds up

And the speed at which wounds heal slows down

My strength now is not to expect too much from others

Even with a wounded body, I push on, tricking myself along the way

Knowing my limits, I hold my head high, just like always

But sometimes, it’s okay to stretch a little

Now I can finally do something immature again this year

Small frameworks, just numbers

No longer bound by them, but committed from the heart

The day I stop is the day I stand still

And then I grow even taller

Crossing the Sumida River again

Over Kachidoki Bridge once more

With the Tokyo Skytree overlapping

And Tokyo Tower and my shaky, unsure back

Ways to slack off and ways to be lazy

How to run away, how to make excuses, I finally started to remember

I’ve learned to have a flexible mind

How to act cool, how to get into the groove

How to stay composed, how to act mature

I’ve really ramped up my confidence

With dull, reckless eyes and an unruly body

The feeling of happiness just speeds up

And the speed at which wounds heal slows down

My strength now is not to expect too much from others

Even with a wounded body, I push on, tricking myself along the way

Knowing my limits, I hold my head high, just like always

But sometimes, it’s okay to stretch a little

Now I can finally do something immature again this year

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

All I have is room to grow

(All I have is room to grow)

We still only have room to grow

[Japanese]

サボり方とか 甘え方とか

逃げ方とか 言い訳のし方とか

やっと覚えて来た

身につけて来た 柔らかい頭

カッコのつけ方 調子のこき方

腹の据え方 良い年のこき方

脂乗りに乗った

濁った目した だらしない身体

嫌われ方や 慕われ方や

叱り方とか 綺麗なぶつかり方

もっと覚えたい事が山のようにある...

のびしろしか無いわ

のびしろしか無いわ

のびしろしか無いわ

のびしろしか無いわ

俺らまだのびしろしかないわ

悪者扱いして来た街で

悪者扱いして来たオトナへ

変わりゆく俺、鏡の中へ

尋ねても答えならyeah yeah yeah

去る者追わない引くとこ引いて

丸く収めたり軽くいなして

鏡の中でわろてるお前

括れやしなかったわ。たったの三文字で

日々重くなる足取りで

自分の歩幅で闊歩してる

カマすとこカマす

まかすとこまかす

割と適当な段取りで

やっと分かって来たかも

このポンコツの操縦の仕方を

19の時の「ついに来たか...」より

もっと清々しい気持ち

隅田川にかかる

勝鬨橋を渡る

左手にスカイツリー

右手に東京タワー

俺はその真ん中

サボり方とか 甘え方とか

逃げ方とか 言い訳のし方とか

やっと覚えて来た

身につけて来た 柔らかい頭

カッコのつけ方 調子のこき方

腹の据え方 良い年のこき方

脂乗りに乗った

濁った目した だらしない身体

幸せの体感速度は早くなるばかり

傷が癒えていく速度は遅くなるばかり

他人に期待をしないのが今の俺の強み

手負いでも進める距離なら行くぜ騙し騙し

身の程を知るほどに

胸を張りいつも通り

でも時にしたって良い背伸び

やっと「大人気ない」が出来る年

小さな枠組み ただの数字

縛られずにでも腹くくり

あの日の俺が立ち止まる

ほどにデカくそびえ立つ

隅田川にかかる

勝鬨橋を渡る

重なるスカイツリー

東京タワーと真ん中の頼りない背中

サボり方とか 甘え方とか

逃げ方とか 言い訳のし方とか

やっと覚えて来た

身につけて来た 柔らかい頭

カッコのつけ方 調子のこき方

腹の据え方 良い年のこき方

脂乗りに乗った

濁った目した だらしない身体

嫌われ方や 慕われ方や

叱り方とか 綺麗なぶつかり方

覚えたい事が山のようにある...

のびしろしか無いわ

のびしろしか無いわ

のびしろしか無いわ

（のびしろしか無いわ）

俺らまだのびしろしかないわ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
サボり方 /saborikata/ B1	noun - way of slacking off
逃げ方 /nigekata/ B1	noun - way of escaping
言い訳 /iiwake/ B2	noun - excuse
覚える /oboeru/ A2	verb - to remember
身体 /karada/ A2	noun - body
幸せ /shiawase/ B1	noun - happiness
傷 /kizu/ B2	noun - wound
期待 /kitai/ B2	noun - expectation
距離 /kyori/ B1	noun - distance
胸 /mune/ A2	noun - chest
背伸び /senobi/ B2	noun - stretching up
枠組み /wakugumi/ C1	noun - framework
数字 /suuji/ A2	noun - number
立ち止まる /tachidomaru/ B2	verb - to stop
デカい /dekai/ B1	adjective - big
真ん中 /mannaka/ A2	noun - center

Key Grammar Structures

• 〜とか〜とか

  ➔ List of items connected by 'とか' to indicate examples or non-exhaustive lists.

  ➔ 'とか' is used to indicate examples, similar to 'such as' or 'and so on'.

• 〜たり〜たり

  ➔ Expresses multiple actions or states, similar to 'and such as' or 'doing things like...'.

  ➔ This pattern connects actions or states, emphasizing that multiple things occur or exist without listing exhaustively.

• 〜ている

  ➔ Progressive or continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action or state.

  ➔ '〜ている' indicates an ongoing action or a current state resulting from a previous action.

• 〜しか無い

  ➔ Used to express 'only' or 'nothing but', emphasizing lack of alternatives.

  ➔ This pattern emphasizes that there is nothing else besides what is stated.

• 〜のが

  ➔ Nominalizer + 'が' used to turn verbs into nouns, often to indicate subject or object.

  ➔ '〜のが' turns a verb into a noun phrase, often used as the subject of a sentence.

• 〜から

  ➔ Particle indicating 'from' or 'because', used to specify starting point or reason.

  ➔ '〜から' can mean 'from' a point in space or time, or 'because' to indicate reason.