LEE HI
ONLY — LEE HI: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync그대 환한 빛깔을 내게 가득 칠해줘요geu·dae hwan·han bit·kka·reul nae·ge ga·deuk chi·rae·jwo·yoPaint me full with your bright colorsListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
LEE HI's “ONLY” is a tender love song about finally finding the one person who makes a lonely life feel full. The singer hopes that person will stay close through gloomy rain and busy mornings alike, and pictures being filled with their bright colors. After long wandering, even an imperfect dream feels within reach, and walking side by side becomes a private dance for two.
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.
그대 환한 빛깔을 내게 가득 칠해줘요Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): geu·dae hwan·han bit·kka·reul nae·ge ga·deuk chi·rae·jwo·yo
Meaning: Paint me full with your bright colors
Words in this line- 그대geu·daeyou
- 환한hwan·hanbright
- 빛깔을bit·kka·reulcolor
- 내게nae·geto me
- 가득ga·deukfully
- 칠해줘요chi·rae·jwo·yopaint for me
Word for word: You bright color to-me fully paint-for
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 칠하다 means to paint and 줘요 means give, but together 칠해줘요 is a request: paint me, for my sake. It is a metaphor for the loved one's light and color filling the singer's life.
찾고 찾고 찾아 헤매이던 그대와Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): chat·kko chat·kko cha·ja he·mae·i·deon geu·dae·wa
Meaning: With you, whom I searched and searched for, wandering
Words in this line- 찾고chat·kkosearching
- 찾고chat·kkosearching
- 찾아cha·jaseeking
- 헤매이던he·mae·i·deonwho wandered
- 그대와geu·dae·wawith you
Word for word: Searching searching seek wandered you-with
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Repeating 찾고 stresses a long search. 헤매다 alone means to wander aimlessly, and with searching it means I looked for so long and finally found you. The particle 와 means with.
내가 더 잘할게요 그 맘을 내게 나눠준다면Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nae·ga deo ja·ral·kke·yo geu ma·meul nae·ge na·nwo·jun·da·myeon
Meaning: I'll try even harder if you share your heart with me
Words in this line- 내가nae·gaI
- 더deomore
- 잘할게요ja·ral·kke·yowill do well
- 그geuthat
- 맘을ma·meulheart
- 내게nae·geto me
- 나눠준다면na·nwo·jun·da·myeonif you share
Word for word: I more well-will-do, that heart to-me if you share
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잘하다 alone means "to do well" and the ending -ㄹ게요 is a promise. Together 잘할게요 means "I'll do my best, I won't let you down". 맘 is the casual short form of 마음 (heart), and 나눠주다 ("divide and give") here means sharing feelings, not splitting an object.
기분 좋아 꼭 둘이서 추는 춤 같아Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): gi·bun jo·a kkok du·ri·seo chu·neun chum ga·ta
Meaning: It feels so good, like we're dancing together, just the two of us
Words in this line- 기분gi·bunmood
- 좋아jo·agood
- 꼭kkokjust
- 둘이서du·ri·seothe two of us
- 추는chu·neunthat dances
- 춤chumdance
- 같아ga·taseems like
Word for word: Mood good, surely by-two dance-that-dances is-like.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 기분 좋아 literally means "mood is good", i.e. simply "it feels nice". 꼭 alone means "surely, exactly", but here it sharpens the comparison. 같아 ("is like") turns the phrase into "as if" rather than a statement, which makes the literal version clunky.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “ONLY” — LEE HI. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask SoheeSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 가는 | ga·neun | going |
| 가지고 | ga·ji·go | have |
| 같은데 | ga·teun·de | seems, but |
| 걸어 | geo·reo | walking |
| 걸어가는 | geo·reo·ga·neun | going along |
| 걸어요 | geo·reo·yo | let's walk |
| 곁에 | gyeo·te | beside |
| 곳을 | go·seul | place |
| 그대를 | geu·dae·reul | you |
| 그렇게나 | geu·reo·ke·na | so much |
| 노래 | no·rae | song |
| 발걸음마다 | bal·geo·reum·ma·da | every step |
| 밤에도 | ba·me·do | even at night |
| 부르는 | bu·reu·neun | that I sing |
| 사랑 | sa·rang | love |
| 싶어 | si·peo | want to |
| 싶은 | si·peun | want to |
| 이렇게 | i·reo·ke | like this |
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Questions about “ONLY”
What is “ONLY” by LEE HI about?
LEE HI's “ONLY” is a tender love song about finally finding the one person who makes a lonely life feel full.
What does “그대 환한 빛깔을 내게 가득 칠해줘요” mean in “ONLY”?
Paint me full with your bright colors. 칠하다 means to paint and 줘요 means give, but together 칠해줘요 is a request: paint me, for my sake.
What does “찾고 찾고 찾아 헤매이던 그대와” mean in “ONLY”?
With you, whom I searched and searched for, wandering. Repeating 찾고 stresses a long search.
How do you pronounce “내가 더 잘할게요 그 맘을 내게 나눠준다면”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “nae·ga deo ja·ral·kke·yo geu ma·meul nae·ge na·nwo·jun·da·myeon”: that's how it's actually sung by LEE HI, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “ONLY” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Sohee goes through all 38 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
- LEE HI
- Official video
- 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.