Let's study Japanese with "Nai Nai" from Shadows House. The original manga is interesting too, so be sure to check it out!
A Guide to the Japanese Anime Song "Nai Nai" from "Shadows House"
"Shadows House" is a manga series by Soumatou. It revolves around the mysterious mansion called "Shadows House," where there are faceless aristocrats known as "Shadows" and their attendant "Living Dolls" who serve as their faces. Emilyko, a Living Doll, strives every day to assist her faceless master Kate. While children of the Shadows are forbidden from leaving their rooms, Emilyko builds relationships with other Living Dolls through cleaning sessions and learns many things from Kate, gradually growing. Emilyko's positive brightness begins to change Kate and others she interacts with.
"Nai Nai" was used as the opening theme for the first season of the anime adaptation.
The Japanese Lyrics of "Nai Nai" from "Shadows House"
灰のない深いかげばかり アイのない個体 人形(doll)みたい 自分不在 どこにもいない ないじゃない?
Hai no nai fukai kage bakari Ai no nai kotai Doll mitai Jibun fuzai Doko ni mo inai Nai ja nai?
曖昧なアイ 色の無い眼(eye) 擬態 意外!他人事みたい おかげさま?どちらさま? 答え様々
Aimai na ai Iro no nai me Gitai Igai! Taningoto mitai Okagesama? Dochira sama? Kotae samazama
何者でもないまま 何にもできないまま 生きるのは無駄ですか 悪いことですか
Nanimono demo nai mama Nani mo dekinai mama Ikiru no wa muda desu ka Warui koto desu ka
ここにいない いない いないのは 自分 自分 誰も見ない 見ない 見ないまま 掃き捨ててさようなら
Koko ni inai Inai Inai no wa Jibun Jibun Dare mo minai Minai Minai mama Sute sutete sayonara
嬉しくない 悲しくもない 透明な気分 足りない自分 合わす貌もない 『 』 笑えないじゃない?
Ureshikunai Kanashiku mo nai Tōmei na kibun Tarinai jibun Awasu kao mo nai Waraenai ja nai?
ハイじゃない私(I) 閉じたまま貝 返事"ハイ" 期待だけ大 嫌々投げられた賽 出目は知らない
Hai ja nai watashi (I) Tojita mama kai Henji "hai" Kitai dake dai Iyayaka nagerareta sai Demoku wa shiranai
ここにいたい いたい いたいのも 自分 自分 味はにがい にがい にがいまま 当て所無くさようなら
Koko ni itai Itai Itai no mo Jibun Jibun Aji wa nigai Nigai Nigai mama Atesho naku sayonara
帰らない 行く先もない 迷子の気分 間違えてない? まだ分からない 『 』 どうだっていいじゃない
Kaeranai Ikusaki mo nai Maigo no kibun Machigae tenai? Mada wakaranai "Dō datte ii ja nai"
かげもかたちも いっそなくしてしまえば良い また灰ひとつ ひとつから始めれば良い
Kage mo katachi mo Isso nakushite shimaeba ii Mata hai hitotsu Hitotsu kara hajimereba ii
ここにいない いない いないのは 自分 自分 誰も見ない 見ない 見ないまま 掃き捨ててさようなら
Koko ni inai Inai Inai no wa Jibun Jibun Dare mo minai Minai Minai mama Sute sutete sayonara
嬉しくない 悲しくもない 透明な気分 足りない自分 合わす貌もない 『 』 ない ないままで ここにいたい 『いたい』 笑いたいじゃない?
Ureshikunai Kanashiku mo nai Tōmei na kibun Tarinai jibun Awasu kao mo nai Nai Nai mama de Koko ni itai "Itai" Waraitai ja nai?
The English Translation of "Nai Nai" from "Shadows House"
Only deep shadows without ash, individuals without eyes, like dolls, absent from themselves, nowhere to be found.
Is it not there?
Ambiguous eyes, eyes without color, camouflage, surprisingly! It feels like someone else's problem. Thanks? To whom? Various answers.
Remaining as nobody, unable to do anything, is it useless to live? Is it wrong?
Not here, not here, not here is myself, myself, unseen by anyone, without being seen, swept away, goodbye.
Not happy, not sad, feeling transparent, insufficient myself, without a fitting facade, unable to smile, isn't it?
Yes, it's not me, closed like a shell, "Yes" for an answer, only expectations are great, reluctantly thrown dice, don't know the outcome.
Want to stay here, want to, want to, also myself, myself, the taste is bitter, bitter, bitter, without a proper place, goodbye.
Not returning, nowhere to go, feeling lost, not wrong? Still don't know, doesn't matter, does it?
Shadows and shapes, it would be better to lose them altogether, start anew from each piece of ash.
Not here, not here, not here is myself, myself, unseen by anyone, without being seen, swept away, goodbye.
Not happy, not sad, feeling transparent, insufficient myself, without a fitting facade, not there, not there, wanting to stay here, "want to," don't I want to laugh?
A Step-by-Step Guide to Learning Japanese N4 and N3 Vocabulary with "Nai Nai" from "Shadows House"
0:08~
灰のない深いかげばかり アイのない個体 人形(doll)みたい 自分不在 どこにもいない ないじゃない?
Only deep shadows without ash, individuals without eyes, like dolls, absent from themselves, nowhere to be found. Is it not there?
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 灰 | はい | hai | ash, ashes | noun |
| 深い | ふかい | fukai | deep | i-adj |
| 影 | かげ | kage | shadow | noun |
| 人形 | にんぎょう | ningyō | doll, puppet | noun |
| 自分 | じぶん | jibun | oneself, self | noun |
Related Word to 灰
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 灰 | はいいろ | haiiro | ashen, gray | na-adj |
Related Word to 深い
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 深い | ふかい | fukai | deep | i-adj |
| 浅い | あさい | asai | shallow | i-adj |
0:23~
曖昧なアイ 色の無い眼(eye) 擬態 意外!他人事みたい おかげさま?どちらさま? 答え様々
Ambiguous eyes, eyes without color, camouflage, surprisingly! It feels like someone else's problem. Thanks? To whom? Various answers.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 曖昧 | あいまい | aimai | vague, ambiguous | na-adj |
| 意外 | いがい | igai | unexpected, surprising | na-adj |
| 答え | こたえ | kotae | answer, solution | noun |
Related Word to 意外
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 意外 | いがい | igai | unexpected, surprising | na-adj |
| 以外 | いがい | igai | other than, except for | exp |
0:37~
何者でもないまま 何にもできないまま 生きるのは無駄ですか 悪いことですか
Remaining as nobody, unable to do anything, is it useless to live? Is it wrong?
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 生きる | いきる | ikiru | to live, to exist | 2 verb |
| 無駄 | むだ | muda | waste, pointless | na-adj |
| 悪い | わるい | warui | bad, wrong | i-adj |
0:52~
ここにいない いない いないのは 自分 自分 誰も見ない 見ない 見ないまま 掃き捨ててさようなら
Not here, not here, not here is myself, myself, unseen by anyone, without being seen, swept away, goodbye.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 見る | みる | miru | to see, to watch | 2 verb |
| 掃き捨てる | すきすてる | sukisuteru | to sweep away, to throw away | 2 verb |
Related Word to 掃き捨てる
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 掃き捨てる | はきすてる | hakisuteru | to sweep away, to throw away | 2 verb |
| 掃く | はく | haku | to sweep | 1 verb |
| 吐く | はく | haku | to vomit, to throw up | 1 verb |
| 掃除 | そうじ | sōji | cleaning, to clean | noun |
| 捨てる | すてる | suteru | to throw away | 2 verb |
| 拾う | ひろう | hirou | to pick up | 1 verb |
1:07~
嬉しくない 悲しくもない 透明な気分 足りない自分 合わす貌もない 『 』 笑えないじゃない?
Not happy, not sad, feeling transparent, insufficient myself, without a fitting facade, unable to smile, isn't it?
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 嬉しい | うれしい | ureshii | happy, glad | i-adj |
| 悲しい | かなしい | kanashii | sad | i-adj |
| 透明 | とうめい | tōmei | transparent, clear | na-adj |
| 気分 | きぶん | kibun | mood, feeling | noun |
| 足りる | たりる | tariru | to be sufficient, to be enough | 2 verb |
| 笑う | わらう | warau | to laugh, to smile | 1 verb |
1:26~
ハイじゃない私(I) 閉じたまま貝 返事"ハイ" 期待だけ大 嫌々投げられた賽 出目は知らない
Yes, it's not me, closed like a shell, "Yes" for an answer, only expectations are great, reluctantly thrown dice, don't know the outcome.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 閉じる | とじる | tojiru | to close, to shut | 2 verb |
| 貝 | かい | kai | shell, shellfish | noun |
| 返事 | へんじ | henji | reply, response | noun |
| 期待 | きたい | kitai | expectation, anticipation | noun |
| 嫌 | いや | iya | dislike, hatred | na-adj |
| 投げる | なげる | nageru | to throw, to cast | 2 verb |
Related Word to 閉じる
Relate| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 閉じる | とじる | tojiru | to close, to shut | 2 verb |
| 開く | あく | aku | to open | 1 verb |
1:57~
ここにいたい いたい いたいのも 自分 自分 味はにがい にがい にがいまま 当て所無くさようなら
Want to stay here, want to, want to, also myself, myself, the taste is bitter, bitter, bitter, without a proper place, goodbye.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| あじ | あじ | aji | flavor, taste | noun |
| 苦い | にがい | nigai | bitter | i-adj |
2:10~
帰らない 行く先もない 迷子の気分 間違えてない? まだ分からない 『 』 どうだっていいじゃない
Not returning, nowhere to go, feeling lost, not wrong? Still don't know, doesn't matter, does it?
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 帰る | かえる | kaeru | to return, to go home | 2 verb |
| 迷子 | まいご | maigo | lost child | noun |
| 間違える | まちがえる | machigaeru | to make a mistake, to be wrong | 2 verb |
2:50~
かげもかたちも いっそなくしてしまえば良い また灰ひとつ ひとつから始めれば良い
Shadows and shapes, it would be better to lose them altogether, start anew from each piece of ash.
| vocabulary | hiragana | pronunciation | meaning | POS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 形 | かたち | katachi | form, shape | noun |