Cherish (My Love) — ILLIT: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in syncAm I selfish? 눈치 없는 네 맘 대신Am I selfish? nun·chi eom·neun ne mam dae·sinAm I selfish? Instead of your oblivious heartListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
ILLIT's “Cherish (My Love)” is about a girl who holds on to her crush and goes after him boldly, whatever he feels. She pictures her heart as a precious, shining diamond and admits she may be selfish, since her own flutter matters more to her than his unclear feelings. Brief worries about how he might react fade fast, leaving a playful, stubborn confidence, with him as the cherry on top and her glowing heart held out to him.
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.
Am I selfish? 눈치 없는 네 맘 대신Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): Am I selfish? nun·chi eom·neun ne mam dae·sin
Meaning: Am I selfish? Instead of your oblivious heart
Words in this line- 눈치nun·chisocial sense
- 없는eom·neunlacking
- 네neyour
- 맘mamheart
- 대신dae·sininstead of
Word for word: Am I selfish? Without-sense your heart instead.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 눈치 alone means 'social sense' and 없는 means 'lacking', but together they describe someone oblivious to feelings. 대신 means 'instead of', here implying 'instead of waiting for you to notice'. The unfinished thought sounds like a self-justification.
빛이 나는 이 설렘은 못 참지 협조해줘, you gottaListen from this lineRomanization (as sung): bi·chi na·neun i seol·le·meun mot cham·jji hyeop·jjo·hae·jwo, you gotta
Meaning: I can't hold back this shining flutter, cooperate, you gotta
Words in this line- 빛이bi·chilight
- 나는na·neunthat comes out
- 이ithis
- 설렘은seol·le·meunflutter
- 못motcannot
- 참지cham·jjiendure
- 협조해줘,hyeop·jjo·hae·jwo,cooperate
Word for word: Light-emerging this flutter cannot endure, cooperate, you gotta.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 빛이 나는 literally means 'light comes out', i.e. 'glowing'. 못 참지 is 'can't endure', and the -지 tail adds an 'obviously' tone. 협조 is a formal word for cooperation, used jokingly to mean 'play along with me'.
네 맘은 두 번째 내 각오가 첫 번째Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ne ma·meun du beon·jjae nae ga·go·ga cheot beon·jjae
Meaning: Your feelings come second, my resolve comes first
Words in this line- 네neyour
- 맘은ma·meunheart (topic)
- 두dutwo
- 번째beon·jjae-th
- 내naemy
- 각오가ga·go·garesolve
- 첫cheotfirst
- 번째beon·jjae-th
Word for word: Your heart two-th time, my resolve first-th time
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 번째 on its own is a counter suffix meaning '-th', 두 is 'two' and 첫 is 'first'. Korean builds ordinals like 'two-th', so it just means 'second'. 맘 is 'heart' but here means 'feelings'. Together it is a bold claim that her resolve outranks his feelings.
알쏭달쏭 너의 표정에 괜히 불타올라Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): al·ssong·dal·ssong neo·ui pyo·jeong·e gwaen·hi bul·ta·ol·la
Meaning: Your puzzling expression sets me on fire for no reason.
Words in this line- 알쏭달쏭al·ssong·dal·ssongpuzzling
- 너의neo·uiyour
- 표정에pyo·jeong·eat the expression
- 괜히gwaen·hifor nothing
- 불타올라bul·ta·ol·laburn up
Word for word: Puzzlingly in your expression, needlessly burn up.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 알쏭달쏭 alone describes something elusive, 괜히 means 'needlessly', and 불타올라 means 'burn up'. Together they paint sudden, unexplained infatuation rather than a literal pointless burning.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Cherish (My Love)” — ILLIT. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 감정 | gam·jeong | feelings |
| 건네 | geon·ne | hand over |
| 고민은 | go·mi·neun | deliberation |
| 궁금해 | gung·geum·hae | I'm curious |
| 끝까지 | kkeut·kka·ji | to the end |
| 내겐 | nae·gen | to me |
| 너란 | neo·ran | someone like you |
| 네게 | ne·ge | to you |
| 들었지 | deu·reot·jji | raised |
| 마음은 | ma·eu·meun | heart (topic) |
| 말릴 | mal·lil | to stop |
| 분명 | bun·myeong | surely |
| 빛나 | bin·na | shine |
| 소중한 | so·jung·han | precious |
| 어차피 | eo·cha·pi | anyway |
| 없을걸 | eop·sseul·kkeol | there won't be |
| 좋아해 | jo·a·hae | I like |
| 하느님도 | ha·neu·nim·do | even God |
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Questions about “Cherish (My Love)”
What is “Cherish (My Love)” by ILLIT about?
ILLIT's “Cherish (My Love)” is about a girl who holds on to her crush and goes after him boldly, whatever he feels.
What does “Am I selfish? 눈치 없는 네 맘 대신” mean in “Cherish (My Love)”?
Am I selfish? Instead of your oblivious heart. 눈치 alone means 'social sense' and 없는 means 'lacking', but together they describe someone oblivious to feelings.
What does “빛이 나는 이 설렘은 못 참지 협조해줘, you gotta” mean in “Cherish (My Love)”?
I can't hold back this shining flutter, cooperate, you gotta. 빛이 나는 literally means 'light comes out', i.e.
How do you pronounce “네 맘은 두 번째 내 각오가 첫 번째”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “ne ma·meun du beon·jjae nae ga·go·ga cheot beon·jjae”: that's how it's actually sung by ILLIT, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Cherish (My Love)” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Rena goes through all 44 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
- ILLIT
- Official video
- HYBE LABELS · 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.