100(-ish) Words You Need to Understand a Japanese Pop Song

I've been an avid fan of jpop for quite some time. My first memory of reading Japanese lyrics was in Card Captor Sakura: The Movie's theme song Tooi Kono Machi de (In This Distant Town) in elementary school. As I read through the other lyrics for CCS, and then for InuYasha, I couldn't help but notice that certain words and phrases kept showing up again and again.

As I gradually learned the meanings of these words, I realized that certain ones were present in almost every Japanese song I encountered.

Here are around 100 words you need to get the gist of any jpop song. Tested on Gendou.com, but your mileage may vary.

1.     Sora- sky

2.     Yume- dream

3.     Hana- flower

4.     Tsubasa- wings

5.     Kokoro- heart

6.     Hikari (/akari)- light

7.     Aoi- blue (usually in reference to “the blue sky above” = aoi sora no miagete)

8.     Namida (/naiteru)- tears, cry

9.     Egao- smiling face

10.            Zutto (/itsumo/itsumademo)- always, forever

11.            Doko made mo- no matter how far

12.            Wasurenai- I won’t forget

13.            Omoi (/omoidasu/omoide/oboiteru/etc.)- remember, memory

14.                        Mieru (/Miteru/Mienai/Miageru/miagete/Mitsukeru/Mitsumeru ­etc.)- see/look/can’t see/look up/above/find/notice/gaze at/stare at

15.            Itsuka- someday

16.            Ashita- tomorrow

17.            Sekai- world

18.            Mirai- future

19.            Jidai- age/era (they say this more than you think)

20.            Soba ni iru (yo)- by my side

21.            Yasashii- kind

22.            Tsuyoku- strong

23.            Aruite- walk

24.            Ikite (iru)- live

25.            Michi- road

26.            Futari- the two of us

27.            Tomaranai- don’t stop

28.            Owaranai- never-ending

29.            Tsunaide- connect

30.            Te- hand

31.            Toki- time

32.            Basho- place

33.            Hi- day (e.g. ano hi “that day”)

34.            Kodomo (/ko)- child

35.            Afureru- flow, overflowing, etc.

36.            Chiisa-na- small (They use this one  A LOT…”because I’m such a small person” is common)

37.            Chikara- strength

38.            Hitomi- eyes

39.            Hitori- alone

40.            Kodoku- loneliness

41.            Sabishii- lonely, sad

42.            Onaji- same (something along the lines of “although we had the same type of heart…”)

43.            Hajimete- start

44.            Subete- everything

45.            Kotoba- words

46.            Hitotsu- one (commonly used as “the one [single] thing”)

47.            Mune- chest (heart)

48.            Jibun- self

49.                        Ima- now

50.             Ima sugu- straight away

51.            Kodoku- loneliness

52.            Mitomeru-  accept; admit; acknowledge; attach (importance); award (damages); discern; vindicate

53.            Deau (/deatta)- to meet, (“I met you”), etc.

54.            Atatakai- warm, hot

55.            Nemuru (/nemuite)- sleep

56.            Naka- inside

57.            Kikoeru- hear

58.            Oikakete- hide

59.            Sagashite- searching

60.            Shunkan- moment

61.            Hanasu (/hanashite)- talk/(past tense)

62.            Mamoru- to protect

63.            Kidzuku (/kidzuite)- to notice

64.            Setsuna (/itami/itai)- pain/sorrow; it hurts

65.            Kizutsukeru- to hurt, damage, injure

66.            Hayaku- fast

67.            Keshiki- landscape

68.            Asa- morning

69.            Yoru- night

70.            Koe- voice

71.            Kaze- wind

72.            Hoshi- star

73.            Yuki- snow

74.            Tsuki- moon

75.            Nagareboshi- wishing star

76.            Mainichi- everyday

77.            Tooku (/hanarete)- far away, distant, isolated

78.            Kanjiru (/kanjite/kanjiteru)- feel

79.            Tsuzuku (/tsuzukeru/susumu)- to continue

80.            Hanasanaide- don’t let go

81.            Kotaeru- answer

82.            Kawaru (/kawatta/kawaranai)- to change, changed, do not change/unchanging

83.            Kioku- memory

84.            Kiseki- miracle (“the miracle that I met you…”)

85.            Tatoe (/tatoeba)- for example

86.            Eien (eien ni, eien no)- eternity, eternally/forever, eternal/infinite/undying

87.            Umarete- born

88.            Karada- body

89.            Kao- face

90.                        Eranda- “I chose” (past tense te-form of ‘erabu’)

91.                        Monogatari- narrative, story

92.                        Todoku- reach, come to; come through (news etc.)

93.            Tabi- journey

94.                        Wagamama- selfishness, egoism, willfulness

95.                        Kurikaesu- repeat; echo

96.            Kaeru- to return

97.            Mou ichido- one more time

98.            Yami- darkness

99.            Dakishimete- embrace

100.       Uso- lie

101.       Sotto- softly

102.       Kakera- fragment

103.       Kyo – today

104.       Kinou - yesterday

105.       Kagayaku – shine/glitter/sparkle