nanana – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: lol

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the energetic world of J-pop with 'nanana' by lol! This song is a perfect introduction to the Japanese language through music, with its simple, repetitive, and catchy 'nanana' chorus that anyone can sing along to. Its positive and encouraging lyrics about embracing all aspects of life make it a fun and motivational way to learn new vocabulary and feel the vibrant energy of Japanese pop music.

[English]

From the very beginning, failure is not an option

You shouldn't think that way, maybe

Every joy and every tear

Let's share them

Talking about dreams, I want to keep smiling

Like 21, forever young

Let's go straight ahead, in a world we won't give up

Even if we're interrupted, even if we're laughed at

We won't stop, one way

Towards the place we aim for

Let’s break the chains

“Just move forward as you are”

You say it like that

Because you're here

Laugh out loud

When the night breaks, it'll be alright

Basking in the light (hey)

A shining story

So we can draw it (hey)

In the seasons that come and go

Overflowing feelings, sparkling moments

On a starry night (hey)

A story begins

This kind of encounter (hey)

In a world that goes round and round

[Japanese]

最初から失敗なんて

考えてちゃダメだねmaybe

every joy and every tears

分かち合って

夢語って　笑ってたいね

like 21 forever young

まっすぐいこう　譲れないworld

邪魔されたって　笑われたって

止まらずone way

目指す場所へ

let’s break the chains

「らしく進めばいい」

そんな風に言ってくれる

あなたがいるから

laugh out loud

夜が明ければbe alright

ヒカリを浴びて(hey)

輝くstory

描けるように(hey)

巡り巡る季節の中で

溢れる想い　煌めきを

星降る夜に(hey)

始まるstory

こんな出逢い(hey)

巡り巡る世界の中で

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
失敗 /shippai/ B1	noun - failure
夢 /yume/ A2	noun - dream
笑う /warau/ A1	verb - to laugh
輝く /kagayaku/ B2	verb - to shine
世界 /sekai/ A2	noun - world
季節 /kisetsu/ B1	noun - season
想い /omoi/ B1	noun - thought, feeling
夜 /yoru/ A1	noun - night
明ける /akeru/ B1	verb - to dawn, to break (day)
物語 /monogatari/ B2	noun - story, tale
出逢い /deai/ B2	noun - encounter, meeting
光 /hikari/ A2	noun - light
巡る /meguru/ B1	verb - to circulate, to go around
譲れない /yuzurenai/ B2	adjective - non-negotiable, cannot yield
目指す /mezasu/ B1	verb - to aim for, to target
鎖 /kusari/ B2	noun - chain

Key Grammar Structures

• 考えてちゃダメだね

  ➔ te-form + ちゃ (colloquial contraction of ては) + ダメだ

  ➔ The verb in て-form followed by ちゃ indicates a casual or colloquial way to express 'must not' or 'should not'.

• 笑ってたいね

  ➔ たい (tai) + ね (ne) for confirmation or shared sentiment

  ➔ The たい form expresses the speaker's desire to do something, and ね is used to seek agreement or share sentiment.

• 夜が明ければbe alright

  ➔ もし (if) + particles + ば (conditional); phrase + be alright

  ➔ The ば form is a conditional that means 'if' or 'when'. 'be alright' implies that things will be fine after a certain point.

• 描けるように

  ➔ ように (yō ni) + verb stem to indicate 'in order to' or 'so that'

  ➔ ように is used to express purpose or desire, meaning 'in order to' or 'so that'.

• 煌めきを

  ➔ noun + を (object particle) + 〜を + connector for descriptive or emotive expression

  ➔ The particle を marks the direct object of the verb, with 煌めき being the 'sparkle' or 'brilliance' that is being described or felt.

• 星降る夜に

  ➔ 星降る (hoshi furu) = 'star-falling'; に (particle) indicates time or place

  ➔ 星降る is a compound phrase meaning 'star-falling' or 'starry night', with に indicating that the action or scene occurs at that time or place.