Nogizaka46 – Nekojita Chamomile Tea. Lyrics Meaning: The Art of Waiting for Love to Cool Down

Why is being patient in love so darn difficult? Nogizaka46’s song tells a super relatable story about a girl who learns this the hard way. It’s all wrapped up in the simple act of making tea for someone you care about.

    A Tea-Stained Memory from Nogizaka46

    The whole story in “Nekojita Chamomile Tea” is a flashback. The singer is looking back on a relationship that has ended, and she’s finally piecing together what went wrong. It all centers around this one little detail about her ex-boyfriend.

    The “Cat Tongue” Nickname

    In Japan, if you can’t handle hot food or drinks, they call you “nekojita,” which literally means “cat tongue.” It’s a cute little quirk. The guy in this song was a total nekojita. The singer remembers how she used to wait for his tea to cool down, just chatting with him about their day. It was a sweet, simple time.

    Nekojita kamomiiru tii
    Cat tongue chamomile tea
    Mou sukoshi sou sameru made
    Just a little longer, until it cools
    Kyou atta koto wo hanashitari shite
    We’d talk about what happened today
    Matte agetakke
    I remember waiting for you

    Impatience and a Big Misunderstanding

    He would always tease her, saying she was impatient. She never really got what he meant. She just brushed it off. Now, looking back, she gets it. He wasn’t just talking about her wanting to drink her tea right away. He was talking about their whole relationship.

    “Sekkachi da yo ne” tte anata kara itsumo iwareta kedo
    You always told me, “You’re so impatient,” but
    Hontou no imi wo rikai shitenai to ima ni natte kizuita
    I’ve only just now realized I didn’t understand the real meaning

    She realizes that some things in life, especially when another person’s feelings are involved, can’t be rushed. You can’t just pick “right” or “left” and move on. It’s more complicated than that. You have to wait for the other person to be ready, too.

    The Lukewarm Aftermath

    The chamomile tea becomes a perfect metaphor for their love. Because she was in such a hurry, she pushed things too fast. She didn’t give him the time he needed. As a result, their love didn’t get to be enjoyed while it was warm and perfect. Instead, it was left to sit for too long, and it became lukewarm and unappealing.

    Nurusugi kamomiiru tii
    This chamomile tea is too lukewarm
    Kore demo ii no kashira ne
    I wonder if this is even okay
    Yuge mo mienai shi
    You can’t see the steam anymore
    Kaori mo kieteru
    And the fragrance has faded

    The passion, the warmth, the special scent of their relationship… it all just disappeared. All because she couldn’t wait.

    The Core Story of “Nekojita Chamomile Tea”

    This Nogizaka46 song is a sad but beautiful reflection. A girl looks back on a failed relationship with her “nekojita” boyfriend. She was impatient and always wanted to move forward quickly. He, on the other hand, needed time, like he needed his tea to cool before he could drink it. Her inability to slow down and match his pace ultimately caused their love to fade, leaving it like a cup of tea that’s gone cold and lost its flavor.

    A Lesson in Loving Patience

    The message here is actually super sweet and profound. It’s about understanding that everyone has their own “temperature” when it comes to love and life. True affection isn’t about rushing to the finish line. It’s about the small moments, like waiting for someone’s tea to cool down so they can enjoy it with you. Patience is a form of respect and care. Rushing things can ruin the magic before it even has a chance to bloom.

    What’s Your Take on This Story?

    The song is so gentle, but the feeling of regret is powerful, isn’t it? The way Nogizaka46 uses a simple cup of tea to tell such a deep story about love and timing is just brilliant. But that’s just my reading of it. What do you think the true moral of “Nekojita Chamomile Tea” is? I’d love to hear another perspective!

    Lyrics: "Nekojita Chamomile Tea" by Nogizaka46


    Nogizaka46 – Nekojita Chamomile Tea [Lyrics KANJI]


    猫舌カモミールティー
    もう少し そう冷めるまで
    今日あったことを話したりして
    待ってあげたっけ
    懐かしい時間

    「せっかちだよね」って あなたからいつも言われたけど
    本当の意味を理解してないと今になって気づいた
    すぐに答えを出せないこと 世の中にあると
    ようやくわかった あの夜の出来事

    右か左を選ぶなら 自分で決められても
    相手がいるのは そう簡単にいかない

    猫舌カモミールティー
    冷めちゃう そうその前に
    ふ~ふ~しながら 飲んで欲しいの
    まだ熱いうちに
    始まった恋も…

    よくわからないから 急かしてしまったかもしれない
    いろんなタイプの男の子がいると大人になって知った
    好きなものって同じだって思っていたけど
    ちょっぴり違った あなたとの思い出

    半熟卵の硬さなら 時計で測れたって
    適温ってのは 人それぞれ難しい

    ぬる過ぎカモミールティー
    これでもいいのかしらね
    あきれちゃうくらい ずっと待ってる
    湯気も見えないし
    香りも消えてる

    あの頃と同じティーポット お湯を注ぎながら
    どれくらい冷ましてあげようかなんて(考えてた)
    それはあなたを想ってる時間に似てる
    思い出し笑い 何回もした

    猫舌カモミールティー
    もう少し そう冷めるまで
    今日あったことを話したりして
    待ってあげたっけ

    猫舌カモミールティー
    冷めちゃう そうその前に
    ふ~ふ~しながら 飲んで欲しいの
    まだ熱いうちに
    始まった恋も…

    終わっちゃった恋も…

    Nogizaka46 – Nekojita Chamomile Tea [Lyrics ROMAJI]


    neko-jita kamomīru tī
    mō sukoshi sō sameru made
    kyō atta koto o hanashitari shite
    matte ageta kke
    natsukashī jikan

    “sekkachi da yo ne” tte anata kara itsumo iwareta kedo
    hontō no imi o rikai shitenai to ima ni natte kizuita
    sugu ni kotae o dasenai koto yo no naka ni aru to
    yōyaku wakatta ano yoru no dekigoto

    migi ka hidari o erabu nara jibun de kimerarete mo
    aite ga iru no wa sō kantan ni ikanai

    neko-jita kamomīru tī
    samechau sō sono mae ni
    fū fū shinagara nonde hoshī no
    mada atsui uchi ni
    hajimatta koi mo…

    yoku wakaranai kara sekashite shimatta kamo shirenai
    ironna taipu no otokonoko ga iru to otona ni natte shitta
    suki na mono tte onaji datte omotteita kedo
    choppiri chigatta anata to no omoide

    hanjuku tamago no katasa nara tokei de hakareta tte
    tekion tte no wa hito sorezore muzukashī

    nurusugi kamomīru tī
    kore demo ī no kashira ne
    akirechau kurai zutto matteru
    yuge mo mienai shi
    kaori mo kieteru

    ano koro to onaji tīpotto oyu o sosogi nagara
    dore kurai samashite ageyō ka nante (kangaeteta)
    sore wa anata o omotteru jikan ni niteru
    omoidashi warai nankai mo shita

    neko-jita kamomīru tī
    mō sukoshi sō sameru made
    kyō atta koto o hanashitari shite
    matte ageta kke

    neko-jita kamomīru tī
    samechau sō sono mae ni
    fū fū shinagara nonde hoshī no
    mada atsui uchi ni
    hajimatta koi mo…

    owacchatta koi mo…

    Nogizaka46 – Nekojita Chamomile Tea [English translation]


    Neko-jita Chamomile Tea (That’s tea for someone with a sensitive tongue, like me!)
    Just a little longer, until it cools down,
    We’d chat about what happened today,
    And I guess I waited for you.
    Oh, those nostalgic times!

    You used to always say to me, “You’re so impatient, aren’t you?”
    But I’ve only just realized now that I didn’t truly understand what you meant back then.
    That there are some things in life you just can’t rush to an answer for,
    I finally got it after that night’s incident.

    If it’s about picking right or left, I can make up my own mind,
    But when another person is involved, it’s not quite that simple.

    Neko-jita Chamomile Tea,
    Before it gets cold, before that happens,
    I really want you to blow on it and drink it,
    While it’s still nice and hot.
    Even the love that had just begun…

    I didn’t quite understand back then, so I might have pushed things too fast.
    As I grew up, I learned there are all sorts of guys out there.
    I used to think we liked all the same things,
    But our memories together were a little different, weren’t they?

    If it’s about how firm a soft-boiled egg is, you can time it perfectly,
    But finding the “just right” temperature is tricky for each person.

    Lukewarm Chamomile Tea,
    I wonder if this is even okay anymore?
    I’ve been waiting for so long, it’s almost a little silly,
    I can’t even see the steam,
    And the lovely aroma is gone.

    Pouring hot water into the same teapot as we used to,
    I was thinking about how much to let it cool down (I was thinking).
    That’s just like the time I spent thinking about you,
    I laughed to myself remembering it, so many times.

    Neko-jita Chamomile Tea,
    Just a little longer, until it cools down,
    We’d chat about what happened today,
    And I guess I waited for you.

    Neko-jita Chamomile Tea,
    Before it gets cold, before that happens,
    I really want you to blow on it and drink it,
    While it’s still nice and hot.
    Even the love that had just begun…

    And even the love that had already ended…

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