僕は僕を好きになる – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 乃木坂46
• Album: 26th Single

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Nogizaka46's introspective J-Pop hit, "Boku wa Boku o Suki ni Naru" (僕は僕を好きになる). This song offers a unique opportunity to learn Japanese by exploring themes of self-discovery and personal growth through its poignant lyrics. As a pivotal release for the group, it beautifully combines a piano and strings melody with a powerful message of self-acceptance, making it a special and meaningful piece to deepen your understanding of Japanese language and culture.

[English]

I'm going to try writing on a blank page of a totally white notebook

The name of the person I dislike the most right now and why

The second most disliked person and why, and the third too

The names of those disliked people, who used to be so many,

why can I only remember a few now?

Are the reasons for disliking them really this trivial?

If you're ignored, just ignore back

But what about those lost smiles?

The world turned away in that direction gets smaller

I thought I didn't need friends all along (all along)

Loneliness caused by unforgivable lies and misunderstandings (loneliness)

The one making it hard to live is actually me (me)

Don’t worry about uncomfortable stares (don’t worry)

Just accept where you are now; there aren’t that many unpleasant people

Finally, I understand—what I dislike the most is myself

...

The cries and pain in my heart that no one notices

When I write them down, they just sound like such cliché strings of words

Are the reasons for wanting to die really such trivial things?

If you want to cry, you don't have to hold back

Tears will dry up even if you’re not consoled

Pretending to be strong only adds unnecessary burdens

Chasing dreams and fighting for them—that's just a false hope (illusion)

Looking forward to tomorrow again and again—hoping for the future (future)

But I was the one betraying myself all along (me)

It’s my stubbornness that kept me from joining the circle (it’s my fault)

When I calm down later, I realize those days weren’t really that bad

I just built barriers to avoid getting hurt; just leave me alone

When things get tough, don’t hide them inside your heart

Try writing it all down on your notebook

You’ll be surprised (It’s really not a big deal)

Tear up the list of complaints you’ve written

...

When life gets too close, you can’t see clearly

Take a step back and look

I thought I didn't need friends all along (all along)

Loneliness caused by unforgivable lies and misunderstandings (loneliness)

The one making it hard to live is actually me (me)

Don’t worry about uncomfortable stares (don’t worry)

Just accept where you are now; there aren’t that many unpleasant people

Finally, I understand—what I dislike the most is myself

...

I’m going to like myself

...

[Japanese]

真っ白なノートの1ページに書いてみるんだ

今一番 嫌いな人の名前とその理由を

二番目に嫌いな人とその理由 三番目も

あんなにいたはずの嫌いな人の名前が

数人しか思い出せないのはなぜなんだろう？

嫌いな理由ってこんなにつまらないことだっけ

無視されたら無視してればいい

だけど消えてしまった笑顔はどうする？

その背中向けた世界は狭くなる

友達なんかいらないって思ってたずっと (ずっと)

許せない嘘や誤解が招いた孤独 (孤独)

生きにくくしてる張本人は僕だ (僕だ)

居心地の悪い視線なんか気にしないで (気にしないで)

今の場所 受け入れればいい そんなに嫌な人はいない

やっとわかったんだ 一番嫌いなのは自分ってこと

誰にも気づかれない胸の叫びや痛みを

書き出したらなんて陳腐な言葉の羅列なんだ？

死にたい理由ってこんな些細なことだったのか？

泣きたいなら我慢しなくてもいい

慰められなくたって涙は乾くよ

強がりは余計な荷物になるだけだ

夢なんか競い合って手にする幻想 (幻想)

何回も明日こそって期待した未来 (未来)

裏切っていたのは誰でもない僕だ (僕だ)

輪の中に入ろうとしなかった意地のせいさ (せいさ)

後になって冷静になれば そんなに嫌な日々だったのか

傷つきたくなくてバリア張ってただけ ほっといてと

辛いことがあったら 心に閉じ込めずに

ノートの上 書いてごらん

ハッとするよ (大したことない)

箇条書きした不満 破り捨ててしまおう

人生は近すぎちゃ見えなくなる

一歩引いて見てごらん

友達なんかいらないって思ってたずっと (ずっと)

許せない嘘や誤解が招いた孤独 (孤独)

生きにくくしてる張本人は僕だ (僕だ)

居心地の悪い視線なんか気にしないで (気にしないで)

今の場所 受け入れればいい そんなに嫌な人はいない

やっとわかったんだ 一番嫌いなのは自分ってこと

僕は僕を好きになる

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
嫌い (kirai) /kiɾai/ A2	adjective - dislike, hateful noun - hatred, dislike
名前 (namae) /namae/ A1	noun - name
理由 (riyuu) /ɾijuː/ B1	noun - reason
笑顔 (egao) /eɡao/ A2	noun - smiling face, smile
友達 (tomodachi) /tomoꜜda t͡ɕi/ A1	noun - friend
嘘 (uso) /ɯso/ B1	noun - lie
誤解 (gokai) /ɡokai/ B2	noun - misunderstanding
孤独 (kodoku) /koꜜdokɯ/ B2	noun - loneliness, isolation
場所 (basho) /baꜜɕo/ A2	noun - place, location
胸 (mune) /mɯne/ A2	noun - chest, heart
叫び (sakebi) /sakeꜜbi/ B2	noun - shout, cry
痛み (itami) /itami/ A2	noun - pain
言葉 (kotoba) /kotoba/ A1	noun - word, language
我慢 (gaman) /ɡaman/ B1	noun - patience, endurance verb - to endure, to bear
夢 (yume) /jɯme/ A2	noun - dream
明日 (ashita) /aꜜɕita/ A1	noun - tomorrow
未来 (mirai) /miɾai/ A2	noun - future
人生 (jinsei) /d͡ʑinsei/ A2	noun - life

Key Grammar Structures

• の書いてみるんだ

  ➔ volitional form + みる (to try doing something)

  ➔ The phrase combines the volitional form of a verb with みる to express attempting or trying to do something.

• 許せない嘘や誤解が招いた孤独

  ➔ causative form + が (subject marked for causation)

  ➔ Uses the causative form of a verb to indicate that someone or something caused the action or state, with multiple nouns connected by が.

• 傷つきたくなくて

  ➔ 願望や意向を表すための形容詞 + くて (て-form + くて)

  ➔ The くて form connects adjectives to give reasons or describe states, often used with wanting to avoid something.

• 一歩引いて見てごらん

  ➔ imperative form + ごらん (to try, suggestive command)

  ➔ A command form combined with ごらん suggests trying or observing something, like urging someone to look at the bigger picture.

• 破り捨ててしまおう

  ➔ volitional form of 破り捨てる (to throw away/destroy) + しまう (to do completely/accidentally)

  ➔ The volitional form combined with しまう expresses the speaker’s intention to do something completely or finally, often with a nuance of decisiveness or spontaneity.

• 僕は僕を好きになる

  ➔ plain form + になる (to become)

  ➔ The phrase uses the plain form of a verb + になる to express a change or becoming, here indicating the personal resolution to like oneself.