Stay — YUQI: meaning, key lines and pronunciation
First verse: the song, every line and what it means — in sync청춘을 가장 아름다운 모습으로 살아가cheong·chu·neul ga·jang a·reum·da·un mo·seu·beu·ro sa·ra·gaLet's live our youth in its most beautiful formListen to this line with the translationNo sign-upWhat the song is about
YUQI's “Stay” is a warm promise to someone lonely that they will never be left behind while chasing a dream together. The singer starts from a small room where no one seems to see the listener, then reaches toward sunlight, starlight and a sunflower's slow growth. Fear of an uncertain future gives way to courage, and youth becomes something to live fully side by side.
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.
청춘을 가장 아름다운 모습으로 살아가Listen from this lineRomanization (as sung): cheong·chu·neul ga·jang a·reum·da·un mo·seu·beu·ro sa·ra·ga
Meaning: Let's live our youth in its most beautiful form
Words in this line- 청춘을cheong·chu·neulyouth
- 가장ga·jangmost
- 아름다운a·reum·da·unbeautiful
- 모습으로mo·seu·beu·roin the form
- 살아가sa·ra·galive on
Word for word: Youth-object most beautiful form-with live-go
Why it doesn't translate word for word: Word for word this is 'youth-object most beautiful form-with live-go,' because the particle 으로 on 모습으로 marks the manner or form of an action ('in the shape/form of'), and the compound verb 살아가다 (살다 'to live' + 가다 'to go') means 'to go on living, to live life out.' This naturally becomes 'let's live our youth in its most beautiful form.'
빛나는 그 곳이 바로 해가 뜨는 방향이야Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): bin·na·neun geu go·si ba·ro hae·ga tteu·neun bang·hyang·i·ya
Meaning: That shining place is exactly the direction where the sun rises
Words in this line- 빛나는bin·na·neunshining
- 그geuthat
- 곳이go·siplace
- 바로ba·roexactly
- 해가hae·gathe sun
- 뜨는tteu·neunrising
- 방향이야bang·hyang·i·yais the direction
Word for word: Shining that place-subj exactly sun-subj rising direction-is
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 바로 ('exactly') adds emphasis that isn't present in the bare words 'that place' and 'sun rises' on their own; Korean also places the copula at the very end, so English reorders the clause to sound natural.
빛을 따라 함께 노래해 날이 밝기를 기다릴 필요 없어Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): bi·cheul tta·ra ham·kke no·rae·hae na·ri bal·kki·reul gi·da·ril pi·ryo eop·sseo
Meaning: Following the light, let's sing together — no need to wait for dawn to break
Words in this line- 빛을bi·cheullight
- 따라tta·rafollowing
- 함께ham·kketogether
- 노래해no·rae·haesing
- 날이na·riday
- 밝기를bal·kki·reulto brighten
- 기다릴gi·da·rilto wait
- 필요pi·ryoneed
- 없어eop·sseothere isn't
Word for word: Light following together sing, day to-brighten need there-is-not
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 날이 밝다 literally means 'the day brightens' — the Korean way of describing dawn breaking, not 'the sun rises'. 기다릴 필요 없어 literally means 'there's no need to wait', figuratively suggesting they don't need conventional rules or daylight to be together.
Woah-oh-oh-oh 정해진 규칙 밖의 만남이지만 널 놓치지 않았어Listen to the first verse — freeRomanization (as sung): Woah-oh-oh-oh jeong·hae·jin gyu·chik ba·kkui man·na·mi·ji·man neol not·chi·ji a·na·sseo
Meaning: Even though this meeting breaks the rules, I didn't let you go
Words in this line- 정해진jeong·hae·jinset/fixed
- 규칙gyu·chikrule
- 밖의ba·kkuioutside of
- 만남이지만man·na·mi·ji·manthough it's a meeting
- 널neolyou
- 놓치지not·chi·jilet slip
- 않았어a·na·sseodid not
Word for word: (Woah-oh-oh-oh) set rule outside meeting-though, you not-missed
Why it doesn't translate word for word: 정해진 규칙 밖 literally means 'outside the fixed rule' — i.e. 'beyond conventional rules'. 놓치지 않았어 literally means 'didn't miss/let slip' (놓치다 = 'to let a chance slip'), figuratively meaning 'I held on to you, didn't let us drift apart'.
Lyrics © their rights holders. “Stay” — YUQI. Quoted for commentary and learning.
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Ask RenaSong vocabulary
Words from the song in Korean alphabetical order, with pronunciation and meaning.
| Word | Sounds like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 걸음씩 | geo·reum·ssik | step by step |
| 곁에 | gyeo·te | by the side |
| 고난이 | go·na·ni | hardship |
| 곳에 | go·se | at the place |
| 곳을 | go·seul | place |
| 그려낸 | geu·ryeo·naen | depicted |
| 꿈을 | kku·meul | dream |
| 나아가 | na·a·ga | move forward |
| 내려가 | nae·ryeo·ga | down (continuing) |
| 노래를 | no·rae·reul | song |
| 높이 | no·pi | higher |
| 다해 | da·hae | putting into |
| 들어봐 | deu·reo·bwa | listen |
| 따르기 | tta·reu·gi | to follow |
| 순간 | sun·gan | moment |
| 영원히 | yeong·won·hi | forever |
| 우리는 | u·ri·neun | we |
| 헤어지지 | he·eo·ji·ji | part |
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Questions about “Stay”
What is “Stay” by YUQI about?
YUQI's “Stay” is a warm promise to someone lonely that they will never be left behind while chasing a dream together.
What does “청춘을 가장 아름다운 모습으로 살아가” mean in “Stay”?
Let's live our youth in its most beautiful form. Word for word this is 'youth-object most beautiful form-with live-go,' because the particle 으로 on 모습으로 marks the manner or form of an action ('in the…
What does “빛나는 그 곳이 바로 해가 뜨는 방향이야” mean in “Stay”?
That shining place is exactly the direction where the sun rises. 바로 ('exactly') adds emphasis that isn't present in the bare words 'that place' and 'sun rises' on their own; Korean also places the copula at the very end…
How do you pronounce “빛을 따라 함께 노래해 날이 밝기를 기다릴 필요 없어”?
In the song it sounds roughly like “bi·cheul tta·ra ham·kke no·rae·hae na·ri bal·kki·reul gi·da·ril pi·ryo eop·sseo”: that's how it's actually sung by YUQI, not the textbook romanization.
Where can I see every line of “Stay” explained?
This page explains 4 key lines. In the theIDOL app Rena goes through all 50 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
- YUQI
- Official video
- i-dle (아이들) · 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.