Japanese Viral 檸檬 (Lemon) by 米津玄師 (Kenshi Yonezu) - Hidden Meanings
The song 檸檬 (Lemon) by 米津玄師 (Kenshi Yonezu) is rich with poetic imagery and deeply personal emotions, making some of its nuances difficult for an English-speaking audience to fully grasp. Here are a few key elements with hidden meanings that might not be immediately apparent.
1. The Symbolism of “Lemon”
- In English, lemons are often associated with sourness or something undesirable (e.g., a “lemon” car is a defective one). However, in the song, the 苦いレモンの匂い (“the bitter scent of lemon”) represents lingering, bittersweet memories of a lost loved one.
- The scent of lemon is vivid and difficult to forget, much like the pain of a lost love. It lingers even after time has passed, symbolizing how memories can remain strong despite attempts to move on.
2. “戻らない幸せがあることを 最後にあなたが教えてくれた”
This line means “You were the one who taught me that there are happinesses that can never return.”
- It suggests that the singer has lost someone — either through death or separation — and that their happiness with this person is irretrievable.
3. “雨が降り止むまでは帰れない” (I can’t go home until the rain stops)
- Rain often symbolizes sadness, grief, or a period of mourning in Japanese literature and music.
- The phrase implies that the singer is trapped in their sorrow, unable to move on until their emotional storm has passed.
4. “切り分けた果実の片方の様に” (Like one half of a sliced fruit)
- This imagery suggests that the singer and their lost loved one were once a whole, like two halves of a fruit, but are now separated.
- The idea of a “cut fruit” evokes a sense of incompleteness, symbolizing how they feel broken or unwhole without the other person.
5. “あなたがいなきゃ永遠に昏いまま” (Without you, it will forever remain dark)
- This line expresses the depth of the loss — the singer sees their lost loved one as their “light” and without them, life feels eternally dark.
6. “わたしのことなどどうか忘れてください” (Please forget about me)
- This contradicts the earlier themes of longing, adding a layer of emotional complexity.
- The singer doesn’t actually want to be forgotten but is expressing a selfless, painful wish — perhaps wanting the lost loved one to be at peace.
Cultural and Emotional Depth
- The song was originally written in response to Kenshi Yonezu’s own personal grief, rumored to be related to the loss of a close family member.
- The lyrics capture the rawness of loss, regret, and an inability to let go — emotions that are universal but expressed with uniquely Japanese poetic sensitivity.