Gee — Girls' Generation: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in syncOh! 너무 부끄러워 쳐다 볼 수 없어Oh! neo·mu bu·kkeu·reo·wo chyeo·da bol ssu eop·sseoOh, I'm so shy, I can't even look at youListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
Girls' Generation's “Gee” is about a shy girl so dazzled by her first love that she can hardly look at them or say a word. Her heart pounds, her body trembles, and she lies awake at night, while close friends tease her for being hopeless. Misty eyes, a sweet scent and a feeling of burning up fill a giddy, flustered, playful crush.
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.
Oh! 너무 부끄러워 쳐다 볼 수 없어Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): Oh! neo·mu bu·kkeu·reo·wo chyeo·da bol ssu eop·sseo
Meaning: Oh, I'm so shy, I can't even look at you
Words in this line- 너무neo·muso
- 부끄러워bu·kkeu·reo·woembarrassed
- 쳐다chyeo·dalook
- 볼bollook (future)
- 수ssuway/ability
- 없어eop·sseocan't
Word for word: Oh! Too embarrassed, look ability there-isn't
Why it doesn't translate word for word: «쳐다보다» alone means "to stare/look at," and the "-(으)ㄹ 수 없다" ending is a grammar tail for "unable to" — together it's not "I'm not looking" but "I can't bring myself to look."
너무 깜짝 깜짝 놀란 나는 oh oh oh oh ohListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): neo·mu kkam·jjak kkam·jjak nol·lan na·neun oh oh oh oh oh
Meaning: I'm so startled, completely taken by surprise
Words in this line- 너무neo·muso
- 깜짝kkam·jjakstartled
- 깜짝kkam·jjakstartled
- 놀란nol·lansurprised
- 나는na·neunI
Word for word: Too startle-startle surprised I oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Doubling '깜짝 깜짝' (an onomatopoeia for being startled) intensifies the feeling, like English 'oh-oh'; the subject '나는' (I) sits at the end, natural in Korean word order but reversed compared to English.
정말 너는 정말 못 말려 바보Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): jeong·mal neo·neun jeong·mal mot mal·lyeo ba·bo
Meaning: Really, you're really hopeless, you fool
Words in this line- 정말jeong·malreally
- 너는neo·neunyou
- 정말jeong·malreally
- 못motcan't
- 말려mal·lyeobe stopped
- 바보ba·bofool
Word for word: really you really cannot-restrain fool
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 못 말려 literally means 'cannot restrain,' an idiom for someone incorrigibly stubborn or endearingly silly. With 바보 'fool,' the line is an affectionate tease, not a literal complaint about restraining someone.
말도 못했는걸 너무 부끄러워 하는 난Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): mal·do mo·taen·neun·geol neo·mu bu·kkeu·reo·wo ha·neun nan
Meaning: I'm so shy I couldn't even say a word
Words in this line- 말도mal·doeven words
- 못했는걸mo·taen·neun·geolcouldn't do it
- 너무neo·muso
- 부끄러워bu·kkeu·reo·woembarrassed
- 하는ha·neunbeing
- 난nanI
Word for word: word-even could-not-do too embarrassed being I-topic
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 말도 못했는걸 literally strings 'word-even could-not-do,' reshaped to 'couldn't even say a word.' The -는걸 ending carries a wistful, self-aware regret that a plain translation loses.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Gee” — Girls' Generation. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Mini-lesson: fill in the missing word
A line from the song with one word missing: listen, then pick the right word. Ari checks your answer and saves the new words to your notebook.
Try the lessonAsk Ari about this song
Why this word and not another? What does that slang mean? Ask in your own words and your idol answers about this exact line.
Ask AriSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 그대 | geu·dae | you |
| 그댈 | geu·dael | you |
| 나는요 | na·neu·nyo | as for me |
| 눈빛 | nun·bit | gaze |
| 눈이 | nu·ni | eyes |
| 떨려 | tteol·lyeo | trembles |
| 떨리는 | tteol·li·neun | trembling |
| 몰라 | mol·la | dunno |
| 몸이 | mo·mi | body |
| 반짝 | ban·jjak | sparkle |
| 보는 | bo·neun | looking at |
| 부셔 | bu·syeo | dazzling |
| 사랑에 | sa·rang·e | in love |
| 수줍은 | su·ju·beun | shy |
| 젖은 | jeo·jeun | moist |
| 좋은 | jo·eun | good |
| 짜릿 | jja·rit | thrilling |
| 향기 | hyang·gi | scent |
Keep these 18 words
Make a free account and the words from “Gee” go to your study notebook with spaced review, so they come back right before you forget them.
Create a free accountWith Google, Apple or email · 10 seconds
Questions about “Gee”
What is “Gee” by Girls' Generation about?
Girls' Generation's “Gee” is about a shy girl so dazzled by her first love that she can hardly look at them or say a word.
What does “Oh! 너무 부끄러워 쳐다 볼 수 없어” mean in “Gee”?
Oh, I'm so shy, I can't even look at you. «쳐다보다» alone means "to stare/look at," and the "-(으)ㄹ 수 없다" ending is a grammar tail for "unable to" — together it's not "I'm not looking" but "I can't…
What does “너무 깜짝 깜짝 놀란 나는 oh oh oh oh oh” mean in “Gee”?
I'm so startled, completely taken by surprise. Doubling '깜짝 깜짝' (an onomatopoeia for being startled) intensifies the feeling, like English 'oh-oh'; the subject '나는' (I) sits at the end, natural in Korean…
How do you pronounce “정말 너는 정말 못 말려 바보”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “jeong·mal neo·neun jeong·mal mot mal·lyeo ba·bo”: that's how it's actually sung by Girls' Generation, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Gee” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Ari goes through all 54 lines word by word, in sync with the song; the first verse is free and needs no sign-up.
Official music video
The video loads from YouTube only when you press play. YouTube ↗
Credits and sources
- Artist
- Girls' Generation
- 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.