I am not a K-pop or J-pop fan and to be honest, I am not familiar with trendy groups. Having said that, I do appreciate some famous songs that I know and “Cheer-up” by Twice is one of them. This song was so popular when it came out that several candidates for the presidential elections (2017) in Korea used this song as part of their campaign, changing the lyrics to promote their candidature. This was one of the weirdest things I saw in my life…
Anyway, Twice has made their debut in Japan this summer and released an album with all their title songs in Japanese.
I hesitated a lot before translating the lyrics of “Cheer-up” because:
- It’s much more difficult than I imagined, sometimes what they say just does not make sense (to me)
- I have checked several English translations found on the internet, and they are all different! But the worst thing is that, in several parts, they all differ from mine! ๐ฑThere is a greater probability that they are all right, and I am wrong… But as it would be totally pointless to post my own translation if it were just a copy of others’, I will stick to my interpretation.
What decided me to turn thoughts into action is this post by Kotobites. Lyrics do not always make sense, and the meaning is sometimes hard to grasp because of limited grammar. But it is definitely an excellent exercise that forced me out of my comfort zone. And I did learn some very interesting expressions like “ใใ่ฆใใใชใ” or “ๆข่ชญในใซใผใใใ”.
The lyrics are very long, but I really had fun translating them. It is frustrating to understand every word and still don’t see what the meaning of a phrase is. But it is fun too, to try to crack the lyrics, especially if you study only one or two strophes a day like I did.
Please, keep in mind that I am maybe (certainly) wrong in some parts of my translation. Don’t hesitate to correct me in the comments!
Note: when I post about Japanese songs, I like to illustrate my post with a drawing inspired by the song’s music video or film in which the song appeared. In this case, it refers to the original Korean music video.
Lyrics
ๅใใ้ณดใ ใใซ ใใซ
ใใใ ใใธ็ก็
ใใใใชใผ
ๆธใใฎๆฉใใใ
- ้ณดใใปใชใ “to ring”
- ็ก็ใปใใ means “impossible”, while ใพใ means “seriously”, “really”. The two together mean something like, “really impossible”.
- ๆธใใปใธใ to decrease, to diminish.
- ๆฉใใปใฏใ(ใ) + ใใใ. ใใใ is a grammar point which means “too much”, “excessively”. Drop the ใ of the adjective and add ใใใ.
I am sorry, but I can’t receive all your phone calls (it’s really impossible), my battery is decreasing too rapidly.
็ไฟกใ ๆญขใพใใชใใฆ
ในใใใใใณใฃ๏ผ
ๅผพใใใใ ใ
- ็ไฟกใปใกใใใใ incoming message or call (on the phone)
- ๆญขใพใใปใจใพใ to stop. Here in the negative form ๆญขใพใใชใใปใจใพใใชใ + the form ใฆ which only means “and” “so”. With an ใ adjective or the negation ใชใ, replace the ใ with ใใฆ.
- ในใใ smartphone
- ๅผพใใใปใฏใใใ to burst open. ใใใ is a grammar point which means “look like”, “seem”. It is attached to the ใพใ form. In the case of ๅผพใใ it is ใฏใใ+ใใใ .
Calls from you won’t stop, and it seems that my phone will explode.
ใใง๏ผ ใชใใง๏ผ
็งใฎใใ๏ผใฃใฆๆใใ ใใง
่ธใญใฅใณใใใชใใฆ
ใ ใใฉใญ ใฟใใช ใซใฏใคใคใญใฃใฆ่ฟใฅใใฎ
- ใใ means “fault” here
- ใฃใฆ is a casual way of saying ใจ
- ใใ ใใใ means “be shocked by emotion” or “momentary tightening of one’s chest caused by powerful feelings” and is often used with ่ธใปใใญ chest.
- ใชใใฆ is a grammar which means “things like”.
- ใ ใใฉใญ however
- ่ฟใฅใใปใกใใฅใto get acquainted with, to get closer to, to get to know.
Why is it my fault if your heart is torn apart (or things like that) when you think of me (by only thinking of me). It’s just that everybody is approaching me telling me that I am cute.
I first thought (and most translations on the internet go in that direction) that “ใฃใฆใใใใ ใใง” referred to “why is it my fault”. The meaning would then be something like “I am sad or upset just to think that it could be my fault – that you consider it to be my fault”. But, ใใ ใใใ is used when suffering from a great emotional shock, for example when parting with a lover. I think this word would be strange referring to the girl being upset and instead, applies best to the boy being in love with her (but not able to see her often). Secondly, I think that the expression “ใชใใฆ” (but I may be mistaken) may be used to take some distance from what is said and would suit better if it referred to the guy’s feeling. ๐ค
As for people trying to get close by saying she is cute… I just don’t understand how it is supposed to make sense here. Is it a way to say that the boy’s approach is nothing new to her because she is used to hearing such things? Or on the contrary, that the boy is saying something else than just “cute”, and that’s why she will eventually fall for him? Or am I totally mistaken with the translation? But well, there are some lyrics that I don’t even understand in French, so…
Ah ใใฃใใฎ้ป่ฉฑใใใใญ
ๅ้ใจใใฆ shy shy shy
ใพใ ไผใใชใใใใใญ
ใใ็ดใใใ later
- ใใฃใ some time ago
- ไผใใชใใปใใใชใ is the potential form ไผใใใปใใใ of ไผใใปใใ, here in the negative form: ไผใใชใ “not able to meet”.
- ใใ็ดใใปใใใชใใ to call again, to call someone back.
Ah, sorry for not answering your call some time ago, I was with friends (that’s why I was shy). Sorry if we still can’t meet, I will call you back, so see you later.
ใใญใใ ๆฅใใใชใใง
ๅใฎใใใช Baby
ใใๅฐใ ใฌใใณใใฆใญ
ใใ่ฆใใใชใใ
- ๆฅใใใปใใใ to hurry, to urge on. Here, the form ใชใใง means “don’t…”
- ๅใฎใใใปใพใใฎใใ first means “pitching forward”. But here, it describes someone who can’t wait to do things and urges things on.
- ๆๆ ขใใใปใใพใใใ to be patient
- ใใ่ฆใปใใใฟ means “to look away” but, in this particular context and associated with ใใใชใ, the negative form of the causative form of the verb ใใ, it means to look another girl/boy. ใใ่ฆใใใชใใปใใใฟใใใชใ is a way to say “do not let or make your partner have an affair”.
I beg you, don’t urge me, restless baby. Be a little more patient, I won’t let you go after someone else (look at another girl).
When I googled ใใ่ฆใใใชใ, I found it associated with “ๆตฎๆฐใใใชใ”. ๆตฎๆฐใปใใใ means “unfaithfulness”, “infidelity” or simply “extramarital sex”. I found out that there are three ways of using this word, which allow us to make a little grammar revision:
- Active form: ๆตฎๆฐใใ having an affair, cheat on your partner
- Passive form: ๆตฎๆฐใใใ your partner cheated on you, your partner is having an affair.
- Causative form: ๆตฎๆฐใใใ, more often used with the negative form ๆตฎๆฐใใใชใ which would mean “let or don’t let your partner cheat on you”.
CHEER UP BABY
CHEER UP BABY ่ฟฝใใใใฆ
่ธใฎๆใๅฉใใฆ
ไปใใใ ใใฃใจๅคง่ใซ
ๆฐใใชใใใชใใฆ ๆใใฆใใฎ
ใใณใใฏๅใๅฅฝใใ ใ
Just get it together
and then baby CHEER UP
- ่ฟฝใใใใใปใใใใใ to chase, to run after
- ๆใปใจใณใ door, gate
- ๅฉใใปใใใ to knock, to beat, to strike. Here in the imperative form ๅฉใใฆใปใใใใฆ
- ใใใ is an emphatic form of ใใ.
- ใใฃใจ more
- ๅคง่ใปใ ใใใ bold, daring, audacious. It’s a ใช adjective, so changing ใช into ใซ transforms the adjective into an adverb.
- ๆฐใใชใใปใใใชใ to be uninterested
- ใตใใใ means “to pretend to”
- ๆใใใปใใใใ to love
Cheer up Baby and chase after me. Knock on the door of my heart more audaciously than now. I am pretending that I am not interested but I love you, I really like you.
ใฝใฏใฝใฏใใฆใๅงฟ ๆตฎใใถใ
ใใญใใญใใฆใใฎ ไผใใใใฉใญ
ใใกใใก่ปฝใใจ ๆใใใใใ
ใกใใปใผใธๅฑใใฆใ ๆข่ชญใงในใซใผ
- ใใใใ restless, nervous
- ๅงฟใปใใใ figure, form, state, condition
- ใฉใใฉใ the heart beating fast
- ไผใใใปใคใใใ to be transmitted
- ๆใใใใปใใใใใ is a passive form: I will be thought to be…? = you will think that I am…
- ๅฑใใปใจใฉใ to reach, to arrive (ex: for a message)
- ๆข่ชญใปใใฉใ “already read”, it is the notification that will appear next to your message when it is read. (on Line, for example).
I am well aware of your restlessness (the restless figure of you comes to my mind), and I know that your heart is beating fast with emotion (your beating heart is transmitted to me), but no, it would not be good to reply to your messages (it’s no use), you would think that I am easy (light). I leave your messages “read” but unreplied. (Even if your messages arrive, I let them “already read”)
What she means is that she reads the boy’s messages so that he knows she has read them – the “read” ๆข่ชญ mark will appear on his phone – but she does not reply, leaving him even more restless than if she hadn’t read them at all. I found this article about “being left already read” ๆข่ชญในใซใผใใใ. I love this expression, haha!
Oh oh oh ่จฑใใฆใญ boy
ใใใใใชใฎใใช ่ธใ็ใใ
Oh oh oh ใฉใใใใฐใใใฎ
ๅคขไธญใซใชใฃใกใใ
ๅคขไธญใซใชใฃใฆใ
- ่จฑใใปใใใ means “to permit, to allow” but it most probably means “to excuse”, “to forgive” in our context.
- ใใ means “to do” and is here associated with “ใใใ”, which means “too much”. ใใใ is attached to the ใพใ form of a verb. In the phrase ใใใใใชใฎใใช, she is asking herself if she didn’t go too far.
- ใใใฐ is the ใฐ form of ใใ. It means “if” and express a condition. “ใฉใใใใฐใใ” means “how shall I do?, what should I do?”.
- ๅคขไธญใปใใกใ ใ trance, delirium. ๅคขไธญใซใชใใปใใกใ ใใซใชใ means that you love something so much, you are in a trance. Here, the form ใฆใใพใ is attached, which means that something is done completely with a possible negative consequence. ๅคขไธญใซใชใฃใฆใใพใ is contracted into ๅคขไธญใซใชใฃใกใใ.
Forgive me, maybe I went too far, my heart aches. What shall I do, I am so into you.
Ah ๆฉใพใใฆใใใใญ
ๅซใใใใชใใฎ shy shy shy
ไธๅฎใซใใฆใใใใญ
ๆใกๆใใใใ later
- ๆฉใใปใชใใ to be worried, to be troubled. ๆฉใพใใใใปใชใใพใใใ is the causative form and means “to make someone be worried”.
- ไธๅฎใปใตใใ means “to be restless”. ไธๅฎใซใใใปใตใใใซใใ means “to cause someone to be restless
- ๆใกๆใใใปใใกใใใ to confide in sb, to open one’s heart to sb., to lay bare one’s feeling.
I am sorry that I have troubled you, I don’t dislike you (I am shy because I like you). I am sorry if you are restless because of me, as I will eventually open my heart to you, we’ll see each other later.
ใใใชใซ ่ฆใใใฎใฏ
ๅใฎใใใ Baby
ใใจๅฐใ ๆฌๆฐ่ฆใใฆ
ๅฅชใใซๆฅใฆๆฌฒใใ
- ่ฆใใใปใใใใ painful
- N+ใฎใใ the fault of, because of
- ๆฌๆฐใปใปใใseriousness, earnestness. ่ฆใใใปใฟใใ means “to show” and is here in the imperative form.
- ๅฅชใใปใใฐใ to take by force, to rob sth. The form ใพใ + ใซๆฅใ means “to come to do sth”.
- ๏ฝใฆๆฌฒใใใปใปใใ is used when you want someone to do something. “I want you to…”
If I am in such a pain, it’s your fault. From now on show me a little more earnestness and come to take my heart.
CHEER UP BABY
CHEER UP BABY ไผใใซใใฆ
ๅใฎๆฐๆใกใ ไปใใ
ใใใฎใพใพ ๅ
จ้จๅฑใใฆใ
ใใไปฅไธ ็งใซ่ฟไปใใใ
ๆใใฆใใชใผใฉ้ ใใชใ
Just get it together
and then baby CHEER UP
- ไผใใปใใ Here again, the form ใพใ+ใซๆฅใ. Come to meet (me).
- ๆฐๆใกใปใใใก feelings
- ใพใพ means “as something is”, for example, “show me your feelings as they are”. ใใ is the noun form of ใใ.
- ๅฑใใใปใจใฉใใ to deliver, to notify.
- ่ฟใฅใใปใกใใฅใ to come, get closer. The form ใใ means “if”.
- ๆใใใปใใใใ to love
- ใชใผใฉ aura
- ้ ใใปใใใ to hide. Here, we have the potential form ้ ใใใปใใใใ in the negative form ้ ใใชใใปใใใใชใ be unable to hide.
Cheer up Baby and come to meet me. Tell me all that you feel for me right now (deliver all your feelings as they are, right now). From now on, if you come closer to me, I won’t be able to hide the fact that I love you (the aura of my love for you).
ใใ
ๅทใคใใฎ ๆใใ ใใ
่็
ใชๅฟใซ ๆฐใฅใใฆ
- ๅทใคใใปใใใคใ to get injured, wounded.
- ๆใใปใใใ frightening
- ่็ ใชใปใใใณใใใช cowardly, easily frightened, scared.
- ๆฐใฅใใปใใฅใ to see, to perceive, to notice, to become aware of, to be conscious of, to realize. Used with ใซ.
I am just afraid of getting hurt and I am aware of my cowardice (my easily frightened heart).
ๅใๅฅฝใใชๆฐๆใกใ
ใใฌใกใใๅใซ่ดใใใฆ
่ฟทใใใจใใใฆใ
- ใฐใใ “come to light”, “be discovered”, “be revealed”. Here again, the ๏ฝใฆใใพใ form contracted into ใกใใ.
- ่ดใใใใปใใใใ is the causative form of ่ดใใปใใ “let hear” or “let know”.
- ่ฟทใใปใพใใ means “perplexity” or “indecision”, “doubts” or “delusion”. I think it can mean “indecision” or “doubts” here.
- ใจใใ means to dissolve
Before my feelings for you are exposed, let me hear (…), dissolve my doubts.
I think that what is meant here is: Before she exposes her feelings and reveals her heart, she wants to be sure (of the guy’s sincerity). To clear up her doubts, he should let her hear how sincere he is (this part is omitted in the lyrics). Once again, I don’t know if my interpretation is correct…
Be a man, a real man
gotta see u love me
like a real man
CHEER UP BABY
CHEER UP BABY ่ฟฝใใใใฆ
่ธใฎๆใๅฉใใฆ
ไปใใใ ใใฃใจๅคง่ใซ
ๆฐใใชใใใชใใฆ ๆใใฆใใฎ
ใใณใใฏๅใๅฅฝใใ ใ
Just get it together
and then baby CHEER UP
cheer up love tactics,I think.
This song use many Japanese slang ,so transration is soooo difficult.
I am Japanese,but it’s very difficult to understand this song words !
You are Very well done!^_^
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This is very reassuring, I was worried that I didn’t understand well! Songs are difficult to understand, even for native speakers… Thank you for your words!
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