Cheers to Youth (청춘찬가) — SEVENTEEN: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync사무치게 아픈 말 한마디에 내가 더 싫어도sa·mu·chi·ge a·peun mal han·ma·di·e nae·ga deo si·reo·doEven if one piercingly painful word makes me hate myself even more.Play the first verse with translationNo sign-upWhat does “Cheers to Youth” by SEVENTEEN mean?
SEVENTEEN's “Cheers to Youth” is a gentle song about young people who feel anxious and unsure of themselves, yet find small comforts. They flinch when the phone rings, feel lonely but dislike being alone, and speak kindly to their own reflection in a dark phone screen on the way home. A soft blanket, a little warmth and one small smile carry them toward a tomorrow they will again face for the first time.
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.
사무치게 아픈 말 한마디에 내가 더 싫어도Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): sa·mu·chi·ge a·peun mal han·ma·di·e nae·ga deo si·reo·do
Meaning: Even if one piercingly painful word makes me hate myself even more.
Words in this line- 사무치게sa·mu·chi·gepiercingly
- 아픈a·peunpainful
- 말malword
- 한마디에han·ma·di·eat a single word
- 내가nae·gaI
- 더deomore
- 싫어도si·reo·doeven if I dislike
Word for word: Piercingly painful word at one word-piece I more disliked even if.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 사무치게 means 'seeping through' and 한마디 means 'one utterance', so together they are 'one cutting remark'. 싫어도 alone is 'even if disliked', and the unspoken object is the speaker, so it becomes self-hatred.
꺼진 폰 화면 속에 비친 내 모습 보며 말할래Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): kkeo·jin pon hwa·myeon so·ge bi·chin nae mo·seup ppo·myeo ma·ral·lae
Meaning: I'll look at myself in the dark phone screen and say:
Words in this line- 꺼진kkeo·jinturned off
- 폰ponphone
- 화면hwa·myeonscreen
- 속에so·geinside
- 비친bi·chinreflected
- 내naemy
- 모습mo·seupfigure
- 보며ppo·myeolooking
- 말할래ma·ral·laeI'll say
Word for word: Turned-off phone screen inside reflected my figure looking will-say.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 모습 alone means 'figure' and 속에 'inside', but together they simply say 'in the screen', like a reflection in a black mirror. The ending -ㄹ래 in 말할래 is not a plain 'will say' but a soft 'I think I'll say', carrying desire. That is why the literal version feels clumsy.
오늘 집에 가는 길에 내게 수고했다고Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): o·neul ji·be ga·neun gi·re nae·ge su·go·haet·tta·go
Meaning: on my way home tonight: 'You worked hard.'
Words in this line- 오늘o·neultoday
- 집에ji·behome
- 가는ga·neungoing
- 길에gi·reon the way
- 내게nae·geto me
- 수고했다고su·go·haet·tta·gothat I worked hard
Word for word: Today home going road-on to-me that worked-hard.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 수고 means 'effort' and 하다 'to do', but 수고했다 is the everyday 'good job, you worked hard'. The final 고 turns it into a quote: 'I'll say that…'. 길에 is 'on the road', i.e. 'on the way'.
이 모든 게 나라서 참 좋을 거야Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): i mo·deun ge na·ra·seo cham jo·eul kkeo·ya
Meaning: All of this is me, and that's really good.
Words in this line- 이ithis
- 모든mo·deunall
- 게gething that
- 나라서na·ra·seobecause it's me
- 참chamreally
- 좋을jo·eulwill be good
- 거야kkeo·yait will be
Word for word: This all thing because-it's-me really good will-be.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 나라서 literally means 'because it's me', and 좋을 거야 means 'it will be good'. The ending -ㄹ 거야 sounds like a gentle promise rather than a plain forecast. Together they express accepting oneself, flaws included.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Cheers to Youth” — SEVENTEEN. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask MingyuSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 감싸준 | gam·ssa·jun | that wrapped |
| 겁이 | geo·bi | fear |
| 기다리면서 | gi·da·ri·myeon·seo | while waiting |
| 마주하는 | ma·ju·ha·neun | facing |
| 막히는 | ma·ki·neun | choking |
| 말자 | mal·ja | let's not |
| 목소리로 | mok·sso·ri·ro | with voice |
| 보니 | bo·ni | turns out |
| 부르자 | bu·reu·ja | let's sing |
| 세상 | se·sang | world |
| 신경 | sin·gyeong | nerves, attention |
| 쓰지 | sseu·ji | use |
| 어디서라도 | eo·di·seo·ra·do | anywhere at all |
| 어쩌다 | eo·jjeo·da | somehow |
| 오늘이라서 | o·neu·ri·ra·seo | because it's today |
| 처음으로 | cheo·eu·meu·ro | for the first time |
| 청춘찬가 | cheong·chun·chan·ga | youth anthem |
| 혼자 | hon·ja | alone |
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Questions about “Cheers to Youth”
What is “Cheers to Youth” by SEVENTEEN about?
SEVENTEEN's “Cheers to Youth” is a gentle song about young people who feel anxious and unsure of themselves, yet find small comforts.
What does “사무치게 아픈 말 한마디에 내가 더 싫어도” mean in “Cheers to Youth”?
Even if one piercingly painful word makes me hate myself even more. 사무치게 means 'seeping through' and 한마디 means 'one utterance', so together they are 'one cutting remark'.
What does “꺼진 폰 화면 속에 비친 내 모습 보며 말할래” mean in “Cheers to Youth”?
I'll look at myself in the dark phone screen and say:. 모습 alone means 'figure' and 속에 'inside', but together they simply say 'in the screen', like a reflection in a black mirror.
How do you pronounce “오늘 집에 가는 길에 내게 수고했다고”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “o·neul ji·be ga·neun gi·re nae·ge su·go·haet·tta·go”: that's how it's actually sung by SEVENTEEN, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Cheers to Youth” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Mingyu goes through all 39 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
- SEVENTEEN
- 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.