17 – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: TOMOO
• Album: TWO MOON

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the Japanese language through TOMOO's evocative song, "17." This track beautifully encapsulates the wistful feelings of growing up, with references to cultural icons like Seventeen Ice cream, offering a unique window into Japanese youth culture and emotional expression.

[English]

In an alley with no one around, overlooking an old building

A dark hallway holds the scent of a dream lingering

Tired elevator descends, then opens up

Too familiar are the back of your hair

Eating a 17 Ice, waiting just for you

Waiting all along at the exit of that dark building

You say you didn't hear, with a rasping, muffled voice

Diving close and tight onto your shoulder like a boy

Hearing the insect songs from far and near

We took a detour, just a little more than others

Our mismatched childhood stories, an encore for you

Shy shadow figure, I can almost see it

The 17 Ice melts, leaving a white stain behind

Markers on the road back to childhood friends

Even if I met you at 17

I would have fallen in love, imagining it tight

Leaving behind that long, long dream someday

When passing through, right beside me

Eating a 17 Ice, waiting just for you

Always waiting at the dark building's exit

No matter how many years pass, that white feather remains

Diving tightly onto your shoulders like a boy

I always remember you, like a boy

[Japanese]

誰もいない路地 見下ろした古いビルの

暗い廊下に 染みついた夢の匂い

くたびれたエレべーター 下って開いたら

見覚えのありすぎる後ろ髪

セブンティーンアイス食べてさ 君が待ってた

暗いビルの出口でずっと待っていた

聞いてないよ、なんてさ にじむ掠れ声

少年みたいな肩に ぎゅっとダイブして

遠く近くで 聞こえてた虫の歌と

回り道したね 人よりも少しだけさ

互い違いの昔話 君にアンコール

はにかんだ影法師 見えそうで

セブンティーンアイス溶けてさ 残る白い染み

子供同士にかえってく道の目印

17歳の頃にさ 君に出会っても

きっと好きになったよ ぎゅっとイメージして

置いてきちゃったいつかの長い長い夢

くぐり抜けるときには 隣で

セブンティーンアイス食べてさ 君が待ってた

暗いビルの出口でずっと待っていた

きっといくつになっても 残る白い羽

少年みたいな肩に ぎゅっとダイブした

少年みたいな君をずっと覚えてる

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
路地 /roːdʑi/ B1	noun - alleyway, back street
ビル /bɪɾu/ A2	noun - building
暗い /kuraɪ/ A2	adjective - dark, gloomy
夢 /yuː/ A2	noun - dream
染みる /shimuɾu/ B2	verb - to soak into, to stain
エレベーター /ereːbetā/ A2	noun - elevator
後ろ髪 /ushirogami/ B2	noun - hair at the back of the head
アイス /aɪs/ A1	noun - ice, ice cream
待つ /matsu/ A2	verb - to wait
掠れる /kasureɾe/ C1	verb - to become hoarse, to fade (voice)
少年 /shounen/ B2	noun - youth, young boy
肩 /kata/ A2	noun - shoulder
ダイブ /daibu/ B2	noun - dive, leap
遠く /toku/ A2	adverb - far, distant
近く /chiku/ A2	adverb - near, close

Key Grammar Structures

• 見下ろした古いビルの

  ➔ The use of the verb "見下ろす" in the past tense "見下ろした" indicates completed action of "looking down".

  ➔

• 染みついた夢の匂い

  ➔ The form "染みついた" is the past tense and adjectival form of "染みつく," meaning "to be ingrained" or "to soak into."

  ➔

• 見覚えのありすぎる後ろ髪

  ➔ The phrase "ありすぎる" is the potential form combined with the adjective "すぎる" to express "too many" or "overly familiar."

  ➔

• 少年みたいな肩に ぎゅっとダイブして

  ➔ The phrase "みたいな" is a simile marker meaning "like" or "similar to," used here to describe "少年" as being like "少年みたいな肩".

  ➔

• 残る白い染み

  ➔ The verb "残る" (to remain) is used here in its dictionary form, describing something that "remains" as "white stain."

  ➔