Winter diary – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 浜崎あゆみ
• Album: M(A)DE IN JAPAN

Lyrics & Translation

“Winter diary” by Ayumi Hamasaki offers a beautiful opportunity to learn Japanese through its emotive and narrative-driven lyrics. The song's connection to “Summer diary” provides a unique chance to explore how language can be used to convey changing seasons and evolving emotions in a relationship. The contrast between the gentle melody and the dramatic music video also offers a fascinating glimpse into the multifaceted world of J-pop artistry, making it a special and engaging song for language learners.

[English]

Even now, I keep writing, never stopping.

My heart’s diary, see, it’s like this.

As the nights we can’t meet increase,

That overly close smile of ours feels so precious.

Cast a spell on the pure white snow,

Now’s the time to say what I couldn’t say before.

Should I go and tell you?

Blaming it on the white season,

Begging to stay by your side.

Just like that summer...

Let’s stay friends, just like this, forever,

The day we parted, promising to stay close.

Every time I try to close the distance,

I take a step back again.

Surely, you won’t show up anymore.

At the promised place, I’m alone, aren’t I?

It’s probably just me.

But still, these past precious moments,

Are forever recorded in our diary.

It’ll last forever, I believe.

Cast a spell on the pure white snow,

Now’s the time to say what I couldn’t say before.

Should I go and tell you?

Blaming it on the white season,

Begging to stay by your side.

Just like that summer...

Surely, you won’t show up anymore.

At the promised place, I’m alone, aren’t I?

It’s probably just me.

But still, these past precious moments,

Are forever recorded in our diary...

[Japanese]

今も続いてる　ずっと綴ってる

心のダイアリーはほら

逢えない夜が増えてくほどに

近付きすぎた笑顔が大事で

真っ白い雪に魔法をかけて

言えなかった言葉を今こそ

伝えに行こうか

白い季節のせいにして

君の隣に居させてって

あの夏みたいに

友達のままで　ずっとこのままで

いようねって離れたあの日

いつまで一歩距離を縮めるたびに

また一歩後ずさりしちゃう

もうきっと君は現れない

約束の場所には私ひとりで

いるんだろう

それでもこれまでの愛しい

2人はダイアリーの中で

永遠になるよ

真っ白い雪に魔法をかけて

言えなかった言葉を今こそ

伝えに行こうか

白い季節のせいにして

君の隣に居させてって

あの夏みたいに

きっと君は現れない

約束の場所には私ひとりで

いるんだろう

それでもこれまでの愛しい

2人はダイアリー…

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ダイアリー /daɪəˈlɛəri/ A2	noun - a book in which one keeps a daily record of events and experiences
心 /kokoro/ A1	noun - heart or mind; the center of emotions
雪 /yuki/ A1	noun - frozen precipitation that falls as white flakes
言葉 /kotoba/ A2	noun - word or language; a unit of language
約束 /yakusoku/ B1	noun - promise or agreement
現れる /arawareru/ B2	verb - to appear or become visible
大事 /daiji/ B1	adjective - important or valuable
隣 /となり/ A2	noun - neighbor or next to
季節 /kisetsu/ A1	noun - season; a period of the year
友達 /tomodachi/ A1	noun - friend; a person with whom one has a bond
魔法 /mahou/ B2	noun - magic; the power to influence events using supernatural forces
増える /fueru/ B1	verb - to increase or grow in number
離れる /hanareru/ B2	verb - to separate or leave
一歩 /ippo/ A2	noun - step; a movement made by lifting the foot and setting it down in a new position

Key Grammar Structures

• 心のダイアリーはほら

  ➔ Particle 'は' (wa) indicates the topic of the sentence.

  ➔ 'は' marks the topic of the sentence, setting what the sentence is about.

• 逢えない夜が増えてくほどに

  ➔ The phrase 'ほどに' indicates the degree or extent of increase.

  ➔ 'ほどに' expresses that as the nights increase in number, a certain condition intensifies.

• 言えなかった言葉を今こそ

  ➔ The phrase '今こそ' emphasizes the current importance or opportunity.

  ➔ '今こそ' means 'now is the time' or 'this is the moment' to do something important.

• 真っ白い雪に魔法をかけて

  ➔ The noun '雪' (snow) is combined with 'に' to indicate the target or location of the action.

  ➔ 'に' marks the target of the action, which is 'snow' in this case, to which '魔法をかけて' (cast magic) applies.

• 伝えに行こうか

  ➔ The verb '行く' in the volitional form '行こう' expresses an intention or suggestion to go.

  ➔ '行こうか' is a casual volitional form, meaning 'shall we go' or 'let's go'.

• 離れたあの日

  ➔ The adjective '離れた' (distant, separated) modifies 'あの日' (that day) to specify which day is being referred to.

  ➔ '離れた' describes the day as a specific day that was separated or distant, often implying emotional or physical distance.

• いるんだろう

  ➔ The ending 'んだろう' combines explanatory tone with conjecture or supposition.

  ➔ 'いるんだろう' suggests conjecture that 'he/she/they are there' or 'it is there' based on context.