Gee – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: 少女時代
• Album: The Boys

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the infectious world of K-pop with Girls' Generation's iconic hit "Gee." This song is a perfect entry point for language learners, with its repetitive, easy-to-sing chorus and clear, youthful lyrics that beautifully capture the universal feelings of first love. You'll not only enjoy its catchy melody but also pick up common expressions of excitement and shyness in Korean, making learning both fun and memorable.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
눈 /nun/ A1	noun - eye; snow
부시다 /bu.ɕʰi.da/ B1	adjective - to be dazzling, to be blindingly bright
떨리다 /t͈ʌl.li.da/ B1	verb - to tremble, to shake, to shiver
부끄럽다 /bu.k͈ɯ.ɾʌp.t͈a/ B1	adjective - to be shy, to be embarrassed, to be ashamed
사랑 /sa.ɾaŋ/ A1	noun - love
바보 /pa.bo/ A2	noun - fool, idiot
반짝이다 /ban.t͈ɕak̚.k͈i.da/ B1	verb - to sparkle, to glitter, to twinkle
놀라다 /nol.la.da/ A2	verb - to be surprised, to be astonished, to be startled
짜릿하다 /t͈ɕa.ɾit̚.t͈a.da/ B2	adjective - to be thrilling, to be electrifying, to have a tingling sensation
몸 /mom/ A1	noun - body
젖다 /tɕʌt.t͈a/ B1	verb - to get wet, to be soaked
향기 /hyang.ɡi/ B1	noun - scent, fragrance, aroma
예쁘다 /je.p͈ɯ.da/ A1	adjective - to be pretty, to be beautiful, to be cute
마음 /ma.ɯm/ A2	noun - heart, mind, feeling, intention
뜨겁다 /t͈ɯ.ɡʌp.t͈a/ A2	adjective - to be hot, to be burning
만지다 /man.dʑi.da/ A2	verb - to touch, to feel
수줍다 /su.dʑup.t͈a/ B1	adjective - to be shy, to be bashful
그리다 /kɯ.ɾi.da/ B1	verb - to miss, to long for verb - to draw, to paint
용기 /yoŋ.ɡi/ B1	noun - courage, bravery
두근거리다 /du.ɡɯn.ɡʌ.ɾi.da/ B1	verb - to thump, to pound (heart), to palpitate

Key Grammar Structures

• 너무 너무 멋져, 눈이 눈이 부셔

  ➔ Repetition for Emphasis (Adverb)

  ➔ The repetition of the adverb "너무" ("neomu") intensifies its meaning of "too much" or "very," emphasizing the extreme degree of "멋져" (cool/splendid).

• 숨을 못 쉬겠어, 떨리는, girl

  ➔ Negative expression "못 V"

  ➔ "못" is an adverb expressing inability or impossibility. It is placed before a verb, as in "숨을 못 쉬겠어," which means "I can't breathe."

• 사랑에 빠져서 수줍은 girl

  ➔ Connective ending "-아/어서" (Reason/Cause)

  ➔ The ending "-아/어서" connects clauses, indicating that the first clause is the reason or cause for the second. In "사랑에 빠져서," it means "because I fell in love," leading to the subsequent state (e.g., "수줍은 girl").

• (어떻게 하죠?) 어떡 어떡하죠?

  ➔ Confirmatory question ending "-죠?"

  ➔ The ending "-죠?" is used to ask for confirmation or express a gentle question, often implying that the speaker expects the listener to agree or already knows the answer. "어떻게 하죠?" translates to "What should I do, right?" or "How do I do this, I wonder?"

• 밤엔 잠도 못 이루죠

  ➔ Particle "도" (also/even)

  ➔ The particle "도" (do) adds the meaning of "also," "too," or "even" to the preceding noun. In "잠도 못 이루죠," it means "cannot even fall asleep," emphasizing the difficulty of sleeping.

• 나는 나는 바본가 봐요

  ➔ Conjecture ending "-(으)ㄴ가/는가 보다"

  ➔ The pattern "N-(이)ㄴ가 보다" is used when the speaker is observing a situation and making a guess or conjecture about it. "나는 바본가 봐요" means "It seems like I'm a fool" or "I guess I'm a fool."

• 그대 그대 밖에 모르는

  ➔ "N밖에 (모르다/없다)" (Only N / Nothing but N)

  ➔ The particle "밖에" is always used with a negative verb or adjective to mean "only" or "nothing but." "그대 밖에 모르는" literally means "not knowing anything but you," implying "only knowing you."

• Oh, 너무 반짝 반짝 눈이 부셔

  ➔ Reduplication of Adverbs/Onomatopoeia for Emphasis

  ➔ The repetition of "반짝" ("banjjak") an adverb describing sparkling, is a common linguistic feature in Korean to emphasize the vividness or intensity of the action or state, here "sparkling brightly."

• 사랑에 타버려 후끈한 girl

  ➔ Auxiliary verb "-아/어 버리다" (Completion/Finality/Regret)

  ➔ The auxiliary verb construction "V-아/어 버리다" signifies that an action is completely finished, often with a nuance of irreversibility, a sense of having done something decisively, or sometimes regret. "타버려" (from 타다 + 버리다) means "burnt completely" or "burnt up," implying being overwhelmed by intense love.

• 말도 못 했는걸, 너무 부끄러워 하는 난

  ➔ Exclamatory ending "-는걸/-(으)ㄴ걸/았/었는걸"

  ➔ The ending "V-았/었는걸" is used to express a mild exclamation, often conveying a sense of realization, slight regret, or a gentle complaint, about something that has happened. "말도 못 했는걸" means "I couldn't even say a word, you know!" or "Oh, I couldn't even speak."

• 용기가 없는 걸까, 어떻게야 좋은 걸까?

  ➔ Rhetorical question/Doubt "-는/은/ㄹ 걸까?"

  ➔ The ending "-(으)ㄹ 걸까?" (or -는 걸까?/-은 걸까?) is used to express a rhetorical question, doubt, or wonder about a situation or a course of action. "용기가 없는 걸까" means "Could it be that I don't have courage?" or "I wonder if I lack courage."