純粋とは何か？ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 乃木坂46
• Album: ビリヤニ

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the thoughtful Japanese of Nogizaka46's "純粋とは何か？" (What is Purity?). This song is special as it uses the language of self-reflection and romantic yearning to explore a universal philosophical question, making its nuanced vocabulary and emotional delivery a great way to connect with deeper conversational Japanese.

[English]

Gathering the sunlight pouring down on the palm of my hand

I tried to collect the rays shining from the sky

Like I was holding onto your hand

It made me feel so warm inside

You're right here (beside me)

But somehow (still distant)

I knew (all along)

The more things we can talk about,

The more hesitation there is about what can't be said

I can't help feeling disappointed in myself for that

No, no, no, no

What does it mean to be pure? Suddenly I wonder

Is it showing you my heart, every hidden part?

Sometimes being honest is just a kind of selfishness

Showing everything isn't always the right thing

There are no plans or intentions behind it

Seeing things just as they are should be enough

And yet I keep thinking about you too much

Afraid of impure thoughts

To fall in love is like a pure stream

A clear river flowing through my chest

There's nothing mixed in, not the slightest impurity

I can see clearly right down to the deepest part

Even in casual (conversations)

With the closeness (and kindness)

I feel it (more than anyone)

Why does it always catch me off guard?

If our eyes meet, that's where it ends

Ah, I can't tell anymore which one of me is real

More (more) more (more) more (more)

Wanting to know what being pure really means, I look at the water's surface

A shape like a fish swims past beneath

It's just a fleeting illusion for an instant

Wanting so much to be untouched by any stain,

If only I could be more honest with myself

But another part of me gives up and says nothing to you

If only the rain would blur it all away

Ah

Just as I am,

Not more, not less, simply like this

If only I could stay that way

Questioning myself over and over

So does saying "I love you" make me pure?

Or is it pure because I can't say it at all?

I never reach a conclusion

What does it mean to be pure? Suddenly I wonder

Is it showing you my heart, every hidden part?

Sometimes being honest is just a kind of selfishness

Showing everything isn't always the right thing

There are no plans or intentions behind it

Seeing things just as they are should be enough

And yet I keep thinking about you too much

Afraid of impure thoughts

Even if my way of living isn't cool

No matter what, I want to stay pure

At any time

[Japanese]

掌の上 空から注ぐ

太陽の光を集めてたんだ

君のその手を握ったようで

僕はとっても温かくなれたよ

すぐそばに(いるけれど)

でも君は(遠い人)

そんなこと(わかってた)

何でも話せる分だけ

話せなくなる躊躇(ためら)いってあるんだね

そういう自分が情けない

だめだ(だめだ)だめだ(だめだ)だめだ(だめだ)

純粋ってのは何なのか? 不意に思う

心の奥まで見せてしまうことか?

正直になるのは時にエゴのようなもの

全て 見せちゃえばいいってもんじゃない

計算だとか思惑なんてない

そのままの見え方でいいんだろう

だけど僕は君のことを考え過ぎてしまう

邪念に怯えてるよ

好きになるって胸を流れる

清らかな川の流れのようだ

混ざりっけなんて全くなくて

深い底まで綺麗に見えてるよ

さりげない(会話でも)

親しさと(優しさを)

誰よりも(感じるよ)

ハッとするのはなぜ?

見つめ合うとそれで終わり

ああ どれが現実の僕か判断できない

もっと(もっと)もっと(もっと)もっと(もっと)

純粋の意味を知りたくて水面(みなも)を見た

泳いでる魚の影過(よぎ)ったような

それはほんの一瞬の幻

汚れを知らない自分でありたいと思うあまり

もっと素直になれればいいんだろう

もう一人の僕は諦め 君に何も伝えられない

雨で濁(にご)ればいいのに

ああ

実物大

それ以上 それ以下でもなくそうそのままでい

られたらな

何万回の自問自答だ

つまり 好きと言えば純粋か?

好きと言えないそのことが純粋なのか?

結論はずっと出ないまま

純粋ってのは何なのか? 不意に思う

心の奥まで見せてしまうことか?

正直になるのは時にエゴのようなもの

全て 見せちゃえばいいってもんじゃない

計算だとか思惑なんてない

そのままの見え方でいいんだろう

だけど僕は君のことを考え過ぎてしまう

邪念に怯えてるよ

カッコ悪い

生き方してても

どんな時でも純粋でいたいんだ

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
純粋 /d͡ʑɯnsɯi/ B2	adjective - pure, genuine
心 /kokoro/ A1	noun - heart; mind; spirit
温かく /atatakaɯ/ A2	adverbial adjective - warmly; warmly
遠い /toːi/ A2	adjective - far, distant
情けない /nasakenaɪ/ B2	adjective - pathetic, pitiful, wretched
考える /kaŋgaeɾɯ/ B1	verb - to think; to consider
怯える /hiɾɯeɾɯ/ B2	verb - to be frightened; to recoil
好き /sɯki/ A2	adjective (na‑adj) - liked; fond of; favorite
清らかな /kijoɾakana/ B2	adjective - pure, clean, immaculate
深い /ɸɯkai/ A2	adjective - deep; profound
水面 /sɯimen/ B1	noun - water surface
幻 /maboroɕi/ B2	noun - illusion; phantom; mirage
素直 /sɯnao/ B1	adjective - obedient; frank; honest
自問自答 /d͡ʑimon d͡ʑitoː/ C1	noun - self‑questioning and self‑answering; introspection
現実 /geɴd͡ʑitsu/ B2	noun - reality; actual situation

Key Grammar Structures

• [translate:君のその手を握ったようで]

  ➔ 〜ようで (it seems that / as if)

  ➔ The phrase uses 'ようで' to express appearance or supposition — 'it seems as if he held her hand.'

• [translate:何でも話せる分だけ話せなくなる躊躇(ためら)いってあるんだね]

  ➔ 〜分だけ (the more... the more...)

  ➔ Shows proportional relationship — 'the more we can talk about anything, the more hesitation appears.'

• [translate:純粋ってのは何なのか?]

  ➔ 〜って (casual topic marker, quoting)

  ➔ Casual version of 'という' used for quoting or defining a term. Here, '純粋ってのは' means 'as for what we call purity.'

• [translate:正直になるのは時にエゴのようなもの]

  ➔ 〜のは / 〜もの (nominalization)

  ➔ '〜のは' turns the clause into a noun phrase — 'to be honest is sometimes like ego.'

• [translate:全て見せちゃえばいいってもんじゃない]

  ➔ 〜ってもんじゃない (not necessarily the case that... / it's not simply that...)

  ➔ Colloquial form of 'というものではない', meaning 'it’s not simply a matter of showing everything.'

• [translate:好きになるって胸を流れる清らかな川の流れのようだ]

  ➔ 〜のようだ (like / as if)

  ➔ Used for simile — 'falling in love is like a clear river flowing through the heart.'

• [translate:見つめ合うとそれで終わり]

  ➔ 〜と (conditional when / whenever)

  ➔ This 'と' indicates a natural result — 'when we gaze at each other, it’s over.'

• [translate:もっと素直になれればいいんだろう]

  ➔ 〜ればいい (it would be good if / should)

  ➔ Used to express wish or gentle suggestion — 'it would be nice if I could be more honest.'

• [translate:つまり好きと言えば純粋か?]

  ➔ 〜と言えば (speaking of / if one says...)

  ➔ Used to introduce a statement or condition — 'if I say I love you, does that make it pure?'