YELLOW — TREASURE: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync너를 만나 시작됐어 나의 사랑의 계절neo·reul man·na si·jak·ttwae·sseo na·ui sa·rang·ui gye·jeolMeeting you began the season of my loveListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
TREASURE's “YELLOW” is a warm love song about a heart that takes on color because of someone's smile and gentle voice. The singer's darkened vision and parched heart come alive like a wildflower, all thanks to someone who changes everything like a miracle. Yellow becomes the shade the two share out of the whole rainbow. Through rain, snow and darkness, the singer heads straight toward the loved one and hopes to stay close for years to come.
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.
너를 만나 시작됐어 나의 사랑의 계절Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): neo·reul man·na si·jak·ttwae·sseo na·ui sa·rang·ui gye·jeol
Meaning: Meeting you began the season of my love
Words in this line- 너를neo·reulyou
- 만나man·nameeting
- 시작됐어si·jak·ttwae·sseobegan
- 나의na·uimy
- 사랑의sa·rang·uiof love
- 계절gye·jeolseason
Word for word: You meeting began my love's season
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 계절 alone means 'season' and 사랑 means 'love'. Together 'season of love' is not about the calendar but a whole phase of life, like a spring of feeling. 시작됐어 is passive: love 'got started' on its own rather than being started.
네가 옆에 웃고 있어 줬지 (oh-oh-oh-oh)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): ni·ga yeo·pe ut·kko i·sseo jwot·jji ou·ou·ou·ou
Meaning: You stayed beside me, smiling for me
Words in this line- 네가ni·gayou
- 옆에yeo·pebeside
- 웃고ut·kkosmiling
- 있어i·sseobeing
- 줬지jwot·jjidid for me
Word for word: You beside smiling being gave-for-me, right.
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 웃다 means 'smile', 있다 'be' and 주다 'give'. Together 웃고 있어 줬지 means 'you stayed there smiling for my sake'. The ending -지 adds a soft 'right, you did', a feeling no single word carries.
그 어떤 미래도, 저 멀리 있는 미래에도Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): geu eo·tteon mi·rae·do, jeo meol·li in·neun mi·rae·e·do
Meaning: In any future, even in a far-off future
Words in this line- 그geuthat
- 어떤eo·tteonwhich
- 미래도,mi·rae·do,even future
- 저jeothat
- 멀리meol·lifar
- 있는in·neunthat is
- 미래에도mi·rae·e·doeven in the future
Word for word: That which future-even, that far-away being future-in-even
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 그 means 'that' and 어떤 'which', but together 그 어떤 is an emphatic 'any whatsoever'. The particle 도 means 'also/even', and using it twice gives the sense of 'every time, everywhere'. The literal version feels unfinished because the thought carries into the next line.
내 곁에 머물러 있어 줘, 너라는 색으로 (색으로, 색으로)Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): nae gyeo·te meo·mul·leo i·sseo jwo, neo·ra·neun sae·geu·ro (sae·geu·ro, sae·geu·ro)
Meaning: Stay by my side, in the colour that is you (colour, colour)
Words in this line- 내naemy
- 곁에gyeo·tebeside
- 머물러meo·mul·leostaying
- 있어i·sseobe
- 줘,jwo,for me
- 너라는neo·ra·neuncalled you
- 색으로sae·geu·roas colour
- (색으로,(sae·geu·ro,as colour
- 색으로)sae·geu·ro)as colour
Word for word: My side-at staying be give, 'you'-called colour-as
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 곁 means 'side' and 에 means 'at', together 'beside'. 있어 줘 is 'be' plus 'give', together a soft request 'please do this for me'. 너라는 is literally 'called-you', meaning the colour that is you, and 으로 turns it into 'in the form of'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “YELLOW” — TREASURE. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 감정 | gam·jeong | emotion |
| 계속해서 | gye·so·kae·seo | continuously |
| 그날부터 | geu·nal·bu·teo | since that day |
| 그날에 | geu·na·re | on that day |
| 기적 | gi·jeok | miracle |
| 까맣던 | kka·ma·teon | that was black |
| 내게 | nae·ge | to me |
| 너와 | neo·wa | with you |
| 느껴졌어 | neu·kkyeo·jyeo·sseo | I felt |
| 미소는 | mi·so·neun | smile |
| 사랑을 | sa·rang·eul | love |
| 색깔은 | saek·kka·reun | color |
| 서툴렀던 | seo·tul·leot·tteon | clumsy |
| 이대로 | i·dae·ro | just like this |
| 이런 | i·reon | this kind of |
| 익숙하지 | ik·ssu·ka·ji | familiar |
| 지나도 | ji·na·do | even if it passes |
| 해가 | hae·ga | the year |
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Questions about “YELLOW”
What is “YELLOW” by TREASURE about?
TREASURE's “YELLOW” is a warm love song about a heart that takes on color because of someone's smile and gentle voice.
What does “너를 만나 시작됐어 나의 사랑의 계절” mean in “YELLOW”?
Meeting you began the season of my love. 계절 alone means 'season' and 사랑 means 'love'.
What does “네가 옆에 웃고 있어 줬지 (oh-oh-oh-oh)” mean in “YELLOW”?
You stayed beside me, smiling for me. 웃다 means 'smile', 있다 'be' and 주다 'give'.
How do you pronounce “그 어떤 미래도, 저 멀리 있는 미래에도”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “geu eo·tteon mi·rae·do, jeo meol·li in·neun mi·rae·e·do”: that's how it's actually sung by TREASURE, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “YELLOW” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Mingyu goes through all 45 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
- TREASURE
- Official video
- TREASURE (트레저) · 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.