Growl — EXO: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync나 으르렁 으르렁 으르렁 대na eu·reu·reong eu·reu·reong eu·reu·reong daeI growl, growl, growlListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
EXO's “Growl” is about a man whose protective love for a woman awakens a wild, possessive side he can barely control. He warns rivals to keep away, hides her in his arms, and turns into a predator guarding what he wants. The mood is tense and fierce, with a dark shadow stirring inside him and a promise that only the two of them matter.
Key lines
4 lines from the song in Korean, with how they sound and what they mean. The full line-by-line breakdown lives in the app.
나 으르렁 으르렁 으르렁 대Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): na eu·reu·reong eu·reu·reong eu·reu·reong dae
Meaning: I growl, growl, growl
Words in this line- 나naI
- 으르렁eu·reu·reonggrowl (sound)
- 으르렁eu·reu·reonggrowl (sound)
- 으르렁eu·reu·reonggrowl (sound)
- 대daegrowl(ing)
Word for word: I growl-sound growl-sound growl-sound do
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 으르렁 alone is pure onomatopoeia ('grr'), not a verb; the ending 대(다) turns the sound into the action 'to growl'. Together they paint the singer as a beast snarling at rivals over his mate — the song's central image.
너 물러서지 않으면 다쳐도 몰라Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): neo mul·leo·seo·ji a·neu·myeon da·chyeo·do mol·la
Meaning: If you don't back off, don't blame me if you get hurt
Words in this line- 너neoyou
- 물러서지mul·leo·seo·jistep back
- 않으면a·neu·myeonif not
- 다쳐도da·chyeo·doeven if hurt
- 몰라mol·ladon't care
Word for word: you step-back-not if-not get-hurt-even don't-know
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 다쳐도 몰라 literally reads "even if [you] get hurt, [I] don't know," but 몰라 here isn't ignorance — it's a warning idiom for "that's not my problem / don't expect sympathy." Paired with the conditional 물러서지 않으면 ("if you don't step back"), the line is a threat, not a statement of fact.
절대 널 보내지 않아 두고 봐 babeListen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): jeol·ttae neol bo·nae·ji a·na du·go bwa babe
Meaning: I'll never let you go — just watch, babe
Words in this line- 절대jeol·ttaenever
- 널neolyou
- 보내지bo·nae·jisend away
- 않아a·nanot
- 두고du·goput
- 봐bwawatch
Word for word: never you send-away not-do put-and-see babe
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 보내지 않아 literally "won't send [you] away" = "won't let you go." 두고 봐 literally "put [it] down and watch," but it's a fixed idiom for "just you wait / you'll see" — a confident warning, not a literal instruction.
결국엔 강한 자가 얻게 되는 미인Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): gyeol·gu·gen gang·han ja·ga eot·kke doe·neun mi·in
Meaning: In the end, the beauty goes to the strong one
Words in this line- 결국엔gyeol·gu·genin the end
- 강한gang·hanstrong
- 자가ja·gathe one who
- 얻게eot·kketo obtain
- 되는doe·neuncomes to
- 미인mi·inbeauty
Word for word: In-the-end strong one-who obtaining-becomes beauty
Why it doesn't translate word for word: The real subject, "beauty," sits at the very end after the whole description of who wins it, which is why the literal order feels backwards in English. It means the strong one ends up winning the beauty. Key words: 강한 자 (the strong one), 얻게 되다 (comes to win), 미인 (beauty).
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Growl” — EXO. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 검은 | geo·meun | dark |
| 곁에서 | gyeo·te·seo | beside (her) |
| 공간속에서 | gong·gan·so·ge·seo | in the space |
| 그녀 | geu·nyeo | she |
| 그림자 | geu·rim·ja | shadow |
| 깨어나 | kkae·eo·na | awakens |
| 노리는 | no·ri·neun | that hunt/target |
| 눈에 | nu·ne | in (my) eyes |
| 모두 | mo·du | everyone |
| 물러나 | mul·leo·na | step back |
| 보는 | bo·neun | watching |
| 불꽃이 | bul·kko·chi | a spark |
| 빛나는 | bin·na·neun | shining |
| 사나워진다 | sa·na·wo·jin·da | is growing fierce |
| 안에 | a·ne | inside |
| 이젠 | i·jen | now |
| 조금씩 | jo·geum·ssik | little by little |
| 튄다 | twin·da | flies/sparks |
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Questions about “Growl”
What is “Growl” by EXO about?
EXO's “Growl” is about a man whose protective love for a woman awakens a wild, possessive side he can barely control.
What does “나 으르렁 으르렁 으르렁 대” mean in “Growl”?
I growl, growl, growl. 으르렁 alone is pure onomatopoeia ('grr'), not a verb; the ending 대(다) turns the sound into the action 'to growl'.
What does “너 물러서지 않으면 다쳐도 몰라” mean in “Growl”?
If you don't back off, don't blame me if you get hurt. 다쳐도 몰라 literally reads "even if [you] get hurt, [I] don't know," but 몰라 here isn't ignorance — it's a warning idiom for "that's not my problem / don't…
How do you pronounce “절대 널 보내지 않아 두고 봐 babe”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “jeol·ttae neol bo·nae·ji a·na du·go bwa babe”: that's how it's actually sung by EXO, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Growl” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sunwoo goes through all 71 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
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Credits and sources
- Artist
- EXO
- Official video
- SMTOWN · YouTube
Lyrics and music belong to their rights holders. This page quotes no more than four lines for commentary; the translations, pronunciation and explanations are written by theIDOL.