拝啓、少年よ – Bilingual Lyrics Japanese/English

• By: Hump Back

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Japanese with Hump Back's "拝啓、少年よ" is a chance to connect with the raw, emotional core of youth. The song's direct and repetitive questions like "Yume wa mou minai no kai?" (Have you stopped dreaming?) are perfect for grasping interrogative grammar and emotional expression. This track is special because it embodies the fiery spirit of Japanese "Seishun Punk," offering a passionate and encouraging voice that will inspire you as you learn.

[English]

Have you stopped dreaming now?

Are you afraid of tomorrow?

Have you come to terms with giving up?

The sky is so beautiful, it's almost ridiculous.

I guess I can't see it anymore.

That person has changed too.

The days we laughed together.

I keep recalling them like it's silly.

Cracked youth days.

A stubborn kid throwing tantrums.

I've forgotten the shallow wounds.

There’s no such thing as God.

I never believed in it from the start.

You and I, just as we are.

Oh, don’t cry anymore.

I'm not as weak as you think.

Still, I keep chasing after it.

Losing a few times won't end it.

I can't give up.

Have you stopped dreaming now?

Are you afraid of tomorrow?

Have you come to terms with giving up?

The sky still looks so beautiful, it's almost silly.

Oh, don’t cry anymore.

I'm not as weak as you think.

I'm still chasing after it.

Losing a few times won't end it.

I can't give up.

Sometimes taking the long way around is just right.

[Japanese]

夢はもう見ないのかい？

明日が怖いのかい？

諦めはついたかい？

馬鹿みたいに空がキレイだぜ

「今はもう見れないさ」

アイツも変わったな

笑い合った日々を

馬鹿みたいに思い出している

日々割れ青春

駄々こね少年

忘れちまった浅い傷

神様なんていないぜ

ハナから信じちゃいないさ

僕たちよ　このままで

あぁ　もう泣かないで

君が思う程に弱くはない

あぁ　まだ追いかけて

負けっぱなしくらいじゃ

終われない

夢はもう見ないのかい？

明日が怖いのかい？

諦めはついたかい？

馬鹿みたいに空がキレイだぜ

あぁ　もう泣かないで

君が思う程に弱くはない

あぁ　まだ追いかけて

負けっぱなしくらいじゃ

終われない

遠回りくらいが丁度いい

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
夢 (yume) /jɯme/ A1	noun - dream
明日 (ashita) /a̠ɕi̥ta̠/ A1	noun - tomorrow
怖い (kowai) /ko̞ɰᵝa̠i/ A2	adjective - scary, frightening
諦め (akirame) /äkiɾäme/ B1	noun - resignation, giving up
空 (sora) /so̞ɾa̠/ A1	noun - sky
キレイ (kirei) /kiɾeː/ A1	adjective - beautiful, clean
変わる (kawaru) /käɰᵝäɾɯ/ A2	verb - to change
笑う (warau) /ɰᵝäɾäɯ/ A1	verb - to laugh
日々 (hibi) /çibi/ A1	noun - days, daily
青春 (seishun) /seːɕɯɴ/ B1	noun - youth, adolescence
少年 (shounen) /ɕoːneɴ/ A2	noun - boy, youth
忘れる (wasureru) /ɰᵝäsɯ́ɾe̞ɾɯ/ A2	verb - to forget
浅い (asai) /äsäi/ A2	adjective - shallow, superficial
傷 (kizu) /kizɯ/ A2	noun - wound, injury
神様 (kamisama) /kämiꜜsämà/ A2	noun - god
弱い (yowai) /joꜜwäi/ A2	adjective - weak
負け (make) /mäke/ B1	noun - loss, defeat
遠回り (toomawari) /toːmäwäɾi/ B2	noun - detour, roundabout way
丁度 (choudo) /t͡ɕoːdo/ A2	adjective - exactly, just right

Key Grammar Structures

• 夢はもう見ないのかい？

  ➔ use of the negative form with もう (mou) + verb + のかい (no kai) to infer questioning or seeking confirmation

  ➔ The phrase 知らないのかい is a rhetorical question emphasizing inquiry, with もう (mou) indicating 'anymore' or 'no longer'.

• 諦めはついたかい？

  ➔ use of ついた (tsuita) as the past tense of つく (tsuku), meaning 'to come to', combined with the question particle かい (kai).

  ➔ The phrase 諦めはついたかい？ asks whether the person has 'come to' accept or given up, with ついた indicating the completion of realization.

• 君が思う程に弱くはない

  ➔ use of ほどに (hodo ni) to compare the degree of weakness, emphasizing 'not as weak as you think'.

  ➔ The phrase 君が思うほどに弱くはない emphasizes that the speaker is not as weak as the listener might believe, with ほどに indicating the degree of comparison.

• まだ追いかけて

  ➔ te-form of 追いかける (oikakeru) to continue or keep doing the action of chasing

  ➔ The phrase まだ追いかけて indicates the ongoing action of pursuing, with て-form expressing continuance or persistence.

• 終われない

  ➔ potential form of 終わる (owaru) to express inability to finish, using 〜れない (-renai)

  ➔ The word 終われない is the potential form of 終わる (to end), indicating the inability to bring something to a close.

• 負けっぱなしくらいじゃ

  ➔ use of くらい (kurai) to indicate 'just' or 'only' to diminish the significance, in combination with 負けっぱなし (makeppanashi), meaning 'losing all the time'.

  ➔ The phrase 負けっぱなしくらいじゃ suggests that losing all the time is not a big deal or not enough to stop trying, with くらい indicating a minimal extent.