strawberry – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 藤原基央, BUMP OF CHICKEN
• Album: Iris

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a beautiful way to connect with a new culture, and BUMP OF CHICKEN's 'strawberry' offers a perfect starting point. The song's lyrics, while poetic, touch on universal feelings of wanting to understand and be close to someone. By exploring the gentle and heartfelt Japanese phrases in this song, you can learn to express nuanced emotions and appreciate the lyrical depth that has made BUMP OF CHICKEN beloved in Japan and beyond. This song is special because it finds profound meaning in simple, shared moments, a recurring theme in Japanese art and culture.

[English]

No matter how far I am swallowed by memories

Your voice passed by

Ah, even if I can't smile, just hold me tight

Don't leave the days until today alone

Hey, what kind of yesterday did you come from?

What kind of face will you wake up with tomorrow?

Because I don't know you well enough

Now that you're by my side, I want time to stop

Somewhere in my heart, in a room without windows

I was curled up alone, like a comrade

I wonder why, of all times

We ended up connecting there

I might not be able to speak well

But I hold a heat that wants to become words

I don't mind if you see through me

Please don't doubt what you see

Even though we're this close

Those tears belong only to you

Ah, at least I don't want to part, before they spill

Let me catch them, don't leave me alone

A comic character who can still move, even in tatters

I've lived somewhat like that to a certain extent

I just place my hand on the worn-out parts

And decided not to worry about the rest

My heart silently breathed

While pretending to be dead, I picked everything up

When I jumped into the morning that comes unchanged

I bumped into you outside the comic

I might not be able to speak well

But I understand that some things can't be fixed with words

When we meet eyes once more

I hope we can find the same answer

No matter how far under the night sky I am

Your voice passed by

Ah, if I were smiling, just that alone

Would let me be embraced by the days until today

I want to understand each other, or share the pain

It's not that I want grand wishes to come true

I just wish we could notice together

The wind that blew through the silence

Even though we're this close

Those tears belong only to you

Ah, at least I don't want to part, before they spill

Let me catch them

No matter how far I am swallowed by memories

Your voice passed by

Ah, even if I can't smile, just hold me tight

Don't leave the days until today alone

[Japanese]

どれだけ遠い記憶に呑まれたって

あなたの声が過ぎった

ああもしも笑えなくても　ただ抱き締めて

今日までの日々を　ひとりにしないで

ねえどんな昨日からやってきたの

明日はどんな顔で目を覚ますの

あまりにあなたを知らないから

側にいる今　時が止まってほしい

心のどこだろう　窓もない部屋

その中でひとり膝を抱えていた同士

どういうわけだろう　よりにもよって

そことそこで繋がってしまった

うまく喋れてはいないだろうけど

言葉になりたがる熱を抱いている

見透かしてくれても構わないから

見えたものをどうか疑わないで

これほど近くにいても

その涙はあなただけのものだから

ああせめて離れたくない　こぼれ落ちる前に

受け止めさせて　ひとりにしないで

ぼろぼろでも動ける漫画の人

ある程度そんな風に生きてこられた

削れたところには手を当てるだけで

あとはもう気にしないことにした

心は黙って息をしていた

死んだふりしながら　全部拾ってきた

変わらず訪れる朝に飛び込んだら

あなたにぶつかった漫画の外

うまく喋れてはいないだろうけど

言葉には直らない事も解っている

もう一度目を合わせた時に

同じ答えにどうか出会えますように

どれだけ遠い夜空の下にいても

あなたの声が過ぎった

ああもしも笑っていたら　ただそれだけで

今日までの日々に　抱き締めてもらえる

分かり合いたいだとか　痛みを分かち合いたいだとか

大それた願い事が　叶ってほしいわけじゃない

ただ沈黙の間を吹き抜けた風に

また一緒に気付けたらなって

これほど近くにいても

その涙はあなただけのものだから

ああせめて離れたくない　こぼれ落ちる前に

受け止めさせて

どれだけ遠い記憶に呑まれたって

あなたの声が過ぎった

ああもしも笑えなくても　ただ抱き締めて

今日までの日々を　ひとりにしないで

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
声 (koe) /koꜜe/ A1	noun - voice
記憶 (kioku) /kʲiokɯ/ B1	noun - memory
涙 (namida) /namida/ A2	noun - tear
明日 (ashita) /a̠ɕiꜜta/ A1	noun - tomorrow
顔 (kao) /kaꜜo/ A1	noun - face
心 (kokoro) /koꜜkoɾo/ A2	noun - heart, mind
部屋 (heya) /heja/ A1	noun - room
言葉 (kotoba) /koꜜtoba/ A2	noun - word
熱 (netsu) /neꜜtsɯ/ B1	noun - heat, fever
朝 (asa) /aꜜsa/ A1	noun - morning
風 (kaze) /kaꜜze/ A1	noun - wind
遠い (tooi) /toːi/ A2	adjective - far, distant
笑う (warau) /waɾaɯ/ A1	verb - to laugh
抱き締める (dakishimeru) /dakiɕimeɾɯ/ B1	verb - to hug, embrace
知る (shiru) /ɕiꜜɾɯ/ A1	verb - to know
繋がる (tsunagaru) /t͡sɯnaɡaɾɯ/ B1	verb - to be connected

Key Grammar Structures

• どれだけ遠い記憶に呑まれたって

  ➔ ても (temo): despite, even if

  ➔ Used to express concession or contrast, similar to 'even if' or 'despite'.

• あなたの声が過ぎった

  ➔ が (ga): subject marker

  ➔ Indicates the subject of the sentence, here 'your voice' as the subject.

• あまりにあなたを知らないから

  ➔ から (kara): because, since

  ➔ Used to indicate the reason or cause for something.

• 心は黙って息をしていた

  ➔ は (wa): topic marker

  ➔ Marks the topic of the sentence, here 'the heart'.

• その涙はあなただけのものだから

  ➔ だけ (dake): only, just

  ➔ Expresses exclusivity or limitation to the subject.

• もう一度目を合わせた時に

  ➔ に (ni): at, in, when

  ➔ Indicates the point in time when an action occurs.

• 言葉になりたがる熱を抱いている

  ➔ たがる (tagaru): to want to (third person)

  ➔ Expresses a third-person desire or inclination to do something.