真夏の通り雨 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 宇多田ヒカル

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music offers a unique window into its culture and emotional expression, and Hikaru Utada's “真夏の通り雨” is a perfect example. The song's exclusive use of beautiful and carefully chosen Japanese words to convey profound themes of loss and memory can help you appreciate the poetic nuances of the language. By exploring the lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to emotions, nature, and memory, all while experiencing a masterpiece of modern J-pop that showcases the power of music to articulate the deepest of human feelings.

[English]

I wake up in the middle of a dream

Even with my eyes closed, I can't go back

The world that was so vivid just a moment ago

Now it's just an illusion

Gently holding me close as I汗d up

Deeply engraving many firsts

Reaching out to the trembling new leaves

When I think of you

When will I stop feeling sad?

I want to know

Today, I am not alone

I'm reasonably happy

And I tell myself it's okay like this

Breathing hard in battles I can't win

Days I burned for you

If I forget, I won't be myself anymore

Tell me the right way to say goodbye

Reaching out to someone

When I think of you (you...)

There are so many things I want to ask you now

Overflowing, overflowing

The trees sprout new leaves as days go by

I want to convey my unchanged feelings

To be free, to have freedom

Stood still, the shadow of the onlooker

Memories suddenly grab me

Violently clutching me and not letting go

I love you more deeply still

Unceasing midsummer passing rain

I wake up in the middle of a dream

Even with my eyes closed, I can't go back (you...)

The future where you just were a moment ago

Searching for you, heading into tomorrow

(The rain that keeps falling and never stops, the unhealable, unquenchable thirst...)

...

[Japanese]

夢の途中で目を覚まし

瞼閉じても戻れない

さっきまで鮮明だった世界

もう幻い

汗ばんだ私をそっと抱き寄せて

たくさんの初めてを深く刻んだ

揺れる若葉に手を伸ばし

あなたに思い馳せる時

いつになったら悲しくなくなる

教えてほしい

今日私は一人じゃないし

それなりに幸せで

これでいいんだと言い聞かせてるけど

勝てぬ戦に息切らし

あなたに身を焦がした日々

忘れちゃったら私じゃなくなる

教えて 正しいサヨナラの仕方を

誰かに手を伸ばし

あなたに思い馳せる時(あなた...)

今あなたに聞きたいことがいっぱい

溢れて 溢れて

木々が芽吹く 月日巡る

変わらない 気持ちを伝えたい

自由になる 自由がある

立ち尽くす 見送りびとの影

思い出たちが ふいに私を

乱暴に掴んで 離さない

愛してます 尚も深く

降り止まぬ 真夏の通り雨

夢の途中で目を覚まし

瞼閉じても戻れない(あなた...)

さっきまであなたがいた未来

たずねて 明日へ

(ずっと止まない止まない雨に ずっと癒えない癒えない渇き...)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夢 /juːm/ A2	noun - dream
目 /me/ A1	noun - eye
世界 /seˈkaɪ/ B1	noun - world
汗 /hɑː/ A2	noun - sweat
抱き寄せる /dɑːkɪˈjoʊsɛr/ B2	verb - to embrace
悲しい /kɑːnəˈsiː/ B1	adjective - sad
幸せ /ˈhɑːpɪnəs/ A2	noun - happiness
戦 /sɛn/ B2	noun - battle
日々 /ˈhɪbi/ B1	noun - days
思い出 /ˈoʊmɪˌdeɪ/ B1	noun - memory
愛 /aɪ/ A1	noun - love
雨 /ˈreɪn/ A1	noun - rain
自由 /dʒɪˈrɛɪ/ B2	noun - freedom
伝えたい /tʃʌnˈaɪ/ B2	verb - to want to convey

Key Grammar Structures

• 夢の途中で目を覚まし

  ➔ The use of の to indicate 'in the middle of' or 'during' a noun phrase.

  ➔ 'の' connects nouns to show the relationship or position, such as 'in the middle of' or 'during.'

• 瞼閉じても戻れない

  ➔ The concessive とも (te mo) form indicating 'even if' or 'although'.

  ➔ 'とも' attached to the verb stem indicates concession or 'even if' the action occurs.

• 忘れちゃったら私じゃなくなる

  ➔ Conditional form with たら ('if') used to express 'if' something happens.

  ➔ 'たら' is used to form conditional statements meaning 'if' or 'when.'

• 変わらない 気持ちを伝えたい

  ➔ The adjective 変わらない is in its negative form, describing 'unchanging' feelings.

  ➔ '変わらない' is the negative form of 変わる, meaning 'not changing' or 'unchanged.'

• 星々が輝く夜空

  ➔ The use of が to mark the subject of a sentence or clause.

  ➔ 'が' is the subject particle, used to highlight or specify the doer of the action.

• 木々が芽吹く 月日巡る

  ➔ Both phrases use が to mark the subject, with the verb in plain form indicating ongoing or habitual action.

  ➔ 'が' marks the subjects, and verbs in plain form describe ongoing or habitual actions.