The Reason – English Lyrics

• By: XIA
• Album: PROJECT RE:BORN

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on an emotional journey with XIA's 'The Reason,' a beautifully reinterpreted K-Ballad that speaks volumes about finding hope in the face of despair. Through its poignant lyrics and XIA's renowned emotional vocals, this song offers a unique opportunity to connect with Korean sentiment and expression, exploring themes of comfort and resilience that transcend language barriers.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
죽다 /juk.tta/ A1	verb - to die; to pass away
죽음 /ju.gɯm/ A1	noun - death
생각하다 /sɛŋ.ɡa.kʰa.da/ A1	verb - to think; to consider; to have an idea
마음 /ma.ɯm/ A1	noun - heart; mind; feeling
울다 /ul.da/ A1	verb - to cry; to weep
세상 /se.saŋ/ A1	noun - world; earth; society
사랑 /sa.raŋ/ A1	noun - love; affection
따스하다 /t͈a.sɯ.ha.da/ B1	adjective - to be warm (temperature or heart); to be cozy/mild
차갑다 /tɕʰa.ɡap.t͈a/ A2	adjective - to be cold (temperature or personality); to be chilly/unfriendly
바라다 /pa.ra.da/ A2	verb - to wish; to hope; to want
살다 /sal.da/ A1	verb - to live; to reside; to survive
아름답다 /a.rɯm.dap.t͈a/ A2	adjective - to be beautiful; to be lovely
기대 /ɡi.dae/ B1	noun - expectation; hope; anticipation
관계 /ɡwan.ɡye/ B1	noun - relationship; connection; relation
사라지다 /sa.ra.dʑi.da/ A2	verb - to disappear; to vanish; to be gone
희미하다 /hwi.mi.ha.da/ B1	adjective - to be faint; to be dim; to be vague
끝 /k͈ɯt̚/ A1	noun - end; finish; tip
바꾸다 /pa.kku.da/ A2	verb - to change; to exchange; to replace

Key Grammar Structures

• 내가 죽으려고 생각했던 건

  ➔ -려고 생각하다 (to think of doing); -ㄴ 것 (nominalization)

  ➔ "-려고 생각하다" indicates the **intention** or thought of doing something. "-ㄴ 것" is a nominalization turning the preceding clause into a noun phrase, meaning "the fact that..." or "the thing that...". Here, "내가 죽으려고 생각했던 건" means "The thing that I thought of dying (was)".

• 부두에서 자꾸 갈매기가 울어서야

  ➔ -아/어서야 (emphasized reason)

  ➔ "-아/어서야" is used to emphasize that the preceding clause is the **sole or primary reason** for the following action or state. It often implies a realization or discovery. "울어서야" means "it was only because they cried."

• 파도가 치는 대로 떠밀려 사라지는

  ➔ -는 대로 (as soon as; according to)

  ➔ "-는 대로" means "as soon as," "as/according to," or "just as." It indicates that an action or state occurs immediately after or in accordance with the preceding clause. Here, "파도가 치는 대로" means "as the waves crash" or "as soon as the waves crash."

• 흙이 될 수 있을까

  ➔ -을 수 있다 (can/be able to); -을까 (question ending)

  ➔ "-을 수 있다" expresses **possibility or ability**, meaning "can" or "be able to." "-을까" is a question ending used to ask about a possibility or to express doubt or speculation. "흙이 될 수 있을까" means "Can I become soil?" or "Is it possible for me to become soil?"

• 어디로도 떠나지 못한 내 마음은

  ➔ -지 못하다 (cannot/unable to); -ㄴ/은 (attributive form)

  ➔ "-지 못하다" indicates **inability or failure** to do something, meaning "cannot" or "was unable to." The attributive ending "-ㄴ" modifies the following noun, turning the preceding clause into a descriptive phrase. "떠나지 못한" means "which could not leave."

• 오늘은 어제와 다르지 않다는 걸

  ➔ -지 않다 (negation); -다는 것 (nominalization of a statement)

  ➔ "-지 않다" is a common **negation**, meaning "not." "-다는 것" is a nominalization structure used to turn a statement or fact into a noun phrase, meaning "the fact that..." or "that (something) is the case." Here, "다르지 않다는 걸" means "the fact that it is not different."

• 내일을 바꾸려면 오늘을 바꿔가야 해

  ➔ -려면 (if one intends to/in order to); -아/어야 하다 (must/should)

  ➔ "-려면" indicates an **intention or condition for an action**, meaning "if one intends to" or "in order to." "-아/어야 하다" expresses **necessity or obligation**, meaning "must," "should," or "have to." "바꾸려면" means "if you want to change," and "바꿔가야 해" means "you must keep changing."

• 채워지지 않는다며 울고 있는 이유는

  ➔ -지 않다 (negation); -다며 (indirect quotation); -고 있다 (present progressive/state); -는 이유 (reason why)

  ➔ "-지 않다" is negation. "-다며" is a contracted form of "-다고 하면서," indicating **indirect quotation** or reporting someone's words/thoughts, meaning "saying that." "-고 있다" expresses an **ongoing action** or state. "-는 이유" means "the reason why." "채워지지 않는다며 울고 있는 이유는" means "The reason I'm crying, saying it won't be filled."

• 사람들과의 관계도 마찬가지야

  ➔ -도 마찬가지다 (is also the same/likewise)

  ➔ "-도 마찬가지다" is an idiomatic expression meaning "is **also the same**," "likewise," or "it's no different for." It emphasizes that something applies to another situation as well. "관계도 마찬가지야" means "Relationships are also the same."

• 차가운 사람이라 들었기 때문이야

  ➔ -(이)라고 듣다 (to hear that someone is); -기 때문에 (because)

  ➔ "-(이)라고 듣다" is an **indirect quotation** structure used for hearing about someone's identity or state (for nouns/adjectives), meaning "to hear that someone is..." or "to be told that someone is..." "-기 때문에" (or its slightly more colloquial variant "-기 때문이야") indicates **reason or cause**, meaning "because." "차가운 사람이라 들었기 때문이야" means "It's because I heard (I was told) I was a cold person."