WITHOUT YOU — NCT U: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
What does “WITHOUT YOU” by NCT U mean?
In “WITHOUT YOU,” NCT U sing about loneliness softening once someone steady stands beside them. They begin as lonely figures, like a tree standing all by itself, then drift as if carried by a current, unable to glimpse any paradise.
What the song is about
A friend's warmth, shoulder and trust become their courage, and a circle drawn hand in hand makes enduring life a little lighter. The feeling is tender and steady.
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.
좀 느린 나와 같이 걸어줄Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): jom neu·rin na·wa ga·chi geo·reo·jul
Meaning: Someone to walk alongside slow me
Words in this line- 좀joma bit
- 느린neu·rinslow
- 나와na·wawith me
- 같이ga·chitogether
- 걸어줄geo·reo·julwho will walk for
Word for word: Slightly slow me together will-walk-for
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 좀 means 'a little', 느린 means 'slow', 같이 means 'together' and 걸어줄 is 'walk' plus 'give'. Combined it means 'someone who will walk beside me for my sake'. The sentence stops without its main word, and that gap sounds like hope.
내 손을 잡아 원을 그려Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): nae so·neul ja·ba wo·neul geu·ryeo
Meaning: Take my hand and draw a circle.
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 손을so·neulhand
- 잡아ja·bahold
- 원을wo·neulcircle
- 그려geu·ryeodraw
Word for word: My hand-OBJECT hold, circle-OBJECT draw.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 잡아 alone means 'hold', but with 손 it is 'take my hand'. 그려 means 'draw'. The object particle 을 has no English counterpart, so the literal version reads stiffly.
이 만큼 나눠 가진 거잖아Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): i man·keum na·nwo ga·jin geo·ja·na
Meaning: After all, we've shared this much between us.
Words in this line- 이ithis
- 만큼man·keumas much
- 나눠na·nwodividing
- 가진ga·jinhold
- 거잖아geo·ja·nait is, after all
Word for word: This much dividing held-thing you-know.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 나눠 means 'dividing' and 가진 means 'held', and together they mean 'we split it and each hold a share'. 거잖아 is a softening tail meaning 'it is so, you know', which adds closeness. Word by word it reads like fragments.
눈 감아도 난 온기로 느껴Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nun ga·ma·do na non·gi·ro neu·kkyeo
Meaning: Even with my eyes closed, I feel your warmth
Words in this line- 눈nuneyes
- 감아도ga·ma·doeven if closed
- 난naI
- 온기로non·gi·roas warmth
- 느껴neu·kkyeofeel
Word for word: eyes closing-even I as-warmth feel
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Korean drops 'your': 온기로 literally means 'as warmth' and 느껴 just 'feel'. 눈 is 'eye' and 감아도 'even if closed'. Together they paint the image of sensing someone beside you even in the dark.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “WITHOUT YOU” — NCT U. Quoted for commentary and learning.
Song facts
- Lines
- 49
- Key lines explained
- 4
- Words explained
- 18
- Length
- 3:26
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Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 감추려던 | gam·chu·ryeo·deon | tried to hide |
| 걸어준 | geo·reo·jun | who walked for me |
| 견디는 | gyeon·di·neun | enduring |
| 결국은 | gyeol·gu·geun | in the end |
| 곁에 | gyeo·te | beside |
| 공감할 | gong·gam·hal | will empathize |
| 괜찮다고 | gwaen·chan·ta·go | that it's okay |
| 기다려 | gi·da·ryeo | wait |
| 꿈이 | kku·mi | dream |
| 끝없이 | kkeu·deop·ssi | endlessly |
| 나란히 | na·ran·hi | side by side |
| 너니까 | neo·ni·kka | because it's you |
| 마음이 | ma·eu·mi | heart |
| 산다는 | san·da·neun | called living |
| 연결돼 | yeon·gyeol·dwae | connected |
| 조금 | jo·geum | a little |
| 함께라면 | ham·kke·ra·myeon | if together |
| 행복해져 | haeng·bo·kae·jeo | become happy |
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Questions about “WITHOUT YOU”
What is “WITHOUT YOU” by NCT U about?
In “WITHOUT YOU,” NCT U sing about loneliness softening once someone steady stands beside them. They begin as lonely figures, like a tree standing all by itself, then drift as if carried by a current, unable to glimpse any paradise. A friend's warmth, shoulder and trust become their courage, and a circle drawn hand in hand makes enduring life a little lighter. The feeling is tender and steady.
What does “좀 느린 나와 같이 걸어줄” mean in “WITHOUT YOU”?
In “WITHOUT YOU” by NCT U, “좀 느린 나와 같이 걸어줄” means: Someone to walk alongside slow me. 좀 means 'a little', 느린 means 'slow', 같이 means 'together' and 걸어줄 is 'walk' plus 'give'. Combined it means 'someone who will walk beside me for my sake'. The sentence stops without its main word, and that gap sounds like hope.
What does “내 손을 잡아 원을 그려” mean in “WITHOUT YOU”?
In “WITHOUT YOU” by NCT U, “내 손을 잡아 원을 그려” means: Take my hand and draw a circle. 잡아 alone means 'hold', but with 손 it is 'take my hand'. 그려 means 'draw'. The object particle 을 has no English counterpart, so the literal version reads stiffly.
How do you pronounce “이 만큼 나눠 가진 거잖아”?
“이 만큼 나눠 가진 거잖아” from “WITHOUT YOU” by NCT U is romanized as “i mankeum nanwo gajin geojana”: that is how it is actually sung, sound changes included, not the textbook spelling.
Where can I see every line of “WITHOUT YOU” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Jaemin goes through all 49 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 ↗
How we make these breakdowns
theIDOL builds every breakdown with AI assistance and automated checks, and publishes a page only after it passes them. An AI model writes the meaning of each line and the word-by-word glosses from the song's timed lyrics. The pronunciation comes from our own rule-based Korean transcriber, which spells how the words sound when sung, sound changes included, not a letter-by-letter romanization. Pages that fail the audio-sync or translation checks are not published, and we quote only a few key lines. If you spot a mistake, write to support@theidol.ai and we will fix it.
Credits and sources
- Artist
- NCT U
- 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.