Table of Contents
🎶 IU - “Meaning of you (Feat. Kim Chang-Wan)”: Introduction
🎯 Key Takeaways
🎶 IU - “Meaning of you (Feat. Kim Chang-Wan)”: Additional
Information
🎶 Introduction to IU & Kim Chang-Wan
🎶 IU - “Meaning of you (Feat. Kim Chang-Wan)”: Introduction
Music Video
Lyrics Summary
“Meaning of You” is a contemplative love song that finds beauty and weight in life’s simplest gestures. The lyrics reflect on how a single word, a brief smile, or a passing glance from someone special can carry enormous emotional significance. These seemingly small moments become deeply etched into the narrator’s heart, forming a quiet but powerful bond.
The song captures a profound emotional truth: love is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes, it is soft and intangible—like a breeze, like cosmos flowers blooming beside a small countryside train station. These poetic metaphors convey the delicacy of feelings and the way memories become deeply rooted in ordinary scenes.
Despite this affection, there’s also a subtle undercurrent of sorrow. The beloved’s faint gaze and lonely silhouette are described as burdensome promises—things the narrator holds onto, even when they cause pain. Love, in this song, is both comfort and puzzle: everything about the other person comes as a riddle, and the heart continues trying to understand.
As the song progresses, the narrator builds an imaginary home in the clouds, placing a window toward the one they love. This dreamlike imagery conveys both emotional longing and hope—a desire to remain connected, regardless of how distant or unreachable the other person may seem. In the end, love becomes both memory and mystery, and its meaning grows in silence rather than declaration.
A Practical Learning Guide
- The lyrics are written in the form of a quiet
self-directed monologue, full of emotion and poetic imagery.
This style reflects how Koreans often express deep feelings indirectly
and metaphorically, especially in lyrics.
- You’ll find essential descriptive and emotional phrases
like:
• “커다란 의미” (a significant meaning),
• “힘겨운 약속” (a burdensome promise),
• “풀리지 않는 수수께끼” (an unsolvable riddle),
• “향긋한 바람” (a fragrant breeze),
• “뭉게구름 위에 성을 짓다” (to build a castle on puffy clouds).
These expressions offer vivid imagery and are ideal for understanding how Koreans utilize natural metaphors to convey emotions.
- You can explore various adjective-noun
linkages with
embedded emotions:
• “쓸쓸한 뒷모습” (lonely back figure),
• “작은 눈빛” (small glance),
• “힘겨운 약속” (a burdensome promise).
These offer rich opportunities to study compound nouns and emotional adjectives in the Korean language.
- The word “간이역의 코스모스” (cosmos flowers at a small train station) is deeply
cultural. Cosmos flowers often symbolize nostalgia and fleeting beauty in
Korean literature and songs, and “간이역” (small countryside station) evokes Korea’s rural and
sentimental imagery.
- This song is especially valuable for learning how to
read meaning beyond literal translation, a key skill for Korean
language fluency. Most expressions can’t be directly translated into English
without losing their poetic weight.
🎯 Key
Takeaways
📢 Explanations of basic dictionary definitions have been omitted.
1. "한 마디 말도"
- Means "not even a single
word."
- "한 마디": "one word"
- "말도": "말 (word)" + additive/emphatic
particle "-도" meaning "even"
📌 Example Usage
"한 마디 말도 없이 떠나버렸다."
"He left without saying a
single word."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"입도 뻥긋하지 않다" – "not utter a word"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 화가 나서 입도 뻥긋하지 않았다."
"He was so angry he didn't say
a single word."
2. "나 / 나에겐"
- First-person singular "I/me"
with object or topic markers.
- "나": base form "I, me"
- "나에겐": "나 + 에게 + 는" meaning "to me (with topic
emphasis)"
✂️ “나에게는” → “나에겐” (contraction)
📌 Example Usage
"나 혼자 남겨졌다."
"I was left alone."
"나에겐 너무 소중한 추억이야."
"To me, it’s a very precious
memory."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"저 / 저에겐" – polite or humble form
📌 Example Usage
"저에겐 이 기회가 간절합니다."
"To me, this opportunity means
everything."
3. "커다란"
- "커다란" means "huge" or
"great" and is the attributive form of "커다랗다 (to be big)."
📌 Example Usage
"커다란 기쁨이 밀려왔다."
"A great joy came over
me."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"큰 / 거대한" – big / gigantic
📌 Example Usage
"거대한 빌딩이 눈앞에 있었다."
"A gigantic building stood before me."
4. "내게로 와 / 오다"
- "내게로 와" means "come to me."
It's a poetic or emotional invitation.
- "내게로": "나 (me)" + dative particle "-에게" + direction marker "-로"
✂️
“나에게로” → “내게로” (contraction)
- "와": informal imperative or statement
form of "오다 (to come)"
📌 Example Usage
"그대여, 내게로 와요."
"Darling, come to me."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"다가오다" – "to approach, to come
closer"
📌 Example Usage
"그는 조용히 다가왔다."
"He quietly approached."
5. "풀리지 않는 / 풀리지 않다 / 풀리다"
- "풀리지 않는" means "not solved" or
"unsolved." It often describes something mysterious or unresolved.
- "풀리다": to be untied, resolved, or
unraveled
- "풀리지 않다": negative form "not be
resolved"
- "풀리지 않는": "풀리지 않다" + attributive "-는"
📌 Example Usage
"그 일은 아직도 풀리지 않는 수수께끼다."
"That matter is still a mystery."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"해결되지 않은" – "unresolved"
📌 Example Usage
"해결되지 않은 문제가 남아 있다."
"There remains an unresolved
issue."
6. "수수께끼가 되네"
- "수수께끼가 되네" means "becomes a
mystery" or "it turns into a riddle." It conveys that something
is becoming unclear or puzzling.
- "수수께끼": riddle, mystery
- "-가": subject particle
- "되네": "되다 (to become)" + informal ending
"-네" (exclamatory or realization)
📌 Example Usage
"그의 말이 수수께끼가 되네."
"His words are turning into a
mystery."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"알 수 없는 일이 되다" – "to become something
unknowable"
📌 Example Usage
"이 상황은 점점 알 수 없는 일이 되어 간다."
"This situation is gradually
becoming something unknowable."
7. "간이역의"
- "간이역의" means "of the small
station."
- "간이역": "간이 (simple, temporary)" + "역 (station)" → "small/local
station"
- "-의": possessive particle, equivalent
to "of"
📌 Example Usage
"간이역의 풍경은 오래된 영화 같았다."
"The scenery of the small station
looked like an old movie."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"작은 기차역의" – "of the little train
station"
📌 Example Usage
"작은 기차역의 벤치에 앉아 있었다."
"He was sitting on the bench at the
little train station."
8. "코스모스로"
- "코스모스로" means "toward the cosmos
flowers" or "with cosmos flowers."
- "코스모스": cosmos (a type of flower)
- "-로": particle indicating direction or
means, "toward" or "using"
📌 Example Usage
"길가에는 코스모스로 가득했다."
"The roadside was filled with
cosmos flowers."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"국화로" – "with
chrysanthemums"
📌 Example Usage
"제단을 국화로 장식했다."
"The altar was decorated with
chrysanthemums."
9. "스쳐 불어온 / 스쳐 불어오다 / 스치다 / 불어오다"
- "스쳐 불어온" means "brushed past and blew
in," usually referring to a wind or emotion.
- "스쳐": from "스치다 (to graze, brush past)"
•
“스치다” + connective ending “-어” → “스쳐”
- "불어온": from "불어오다 (to blow in)"
•
“불어오다” + attributive “-ㄴ” (past tense)
📌 Example Usage
"그녀의 향기가 스쳐 불어왔다."
"Her scent brushed past and blew
in."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"살랑살랑 불어오다" – "to blow gently"
📌 Example Usage
"살랑살랑 불어오는 봄바람이 기분 좋았다."
"The gentle spring breeze felt
pleasant."
10. "뭉게구름"
- "뭉게구름" refers to "cumulus
clouds" or fluffy, white clouds often seen in fair weather.
📌 Example Usage
"푸른 하늘에 뭉게구름이 피어올랐다."
"Cumulus clouds rose in the blue
sky."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"흰 구름" – "white cloud"
📌 Example Usage
"흰 구름이 천천히 흘러갔다."
"A white cloud drifted
slowly."
11. "성을 짓고 / 성을 짓다"
- "성을 짓고 / 성을 짓다" means "to build a
castle."
- "성": castle
- "-을": object particle
- "짓다": to build
- "짓고": "짓다" + connector "-고 (and, after)"
📌 Example Usage
"우리는 모래로 성을 짓고 놀았다."
"We built a castle with sand and
played."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"건물을 세우다" – "to erect a
building"
📌 Example Usage
"도시 한복판에 큰 건물을 세웠다."
"A large building was erected in
the middle of the city."
12. "바람 드는 / 바람 들다"
- "바람 드는 / 바람 들다" literally means "wind
enters," but metaphorically it can describe catching a chill or being
enchanted or moved.
- "바람": wind
- "들다": to enter
- "드는": "들다" + attributive "-는"
📌 Example Usage
"가을 바람 드는 날에는 감기 조심해야 해."
"You need to watch out for colds on
windy autumn days."
🌀🎨 Similar & Additional Expressions
"찬바람이 들다" – "cold wind
enters"
📌 Example Usage
"찬바람이 드니 문을 닫아야겠어."
"Cold air is coming in, so I should close the door."
🎶 IU – “Meaning of You (Feat. Kim Chang-Wan)”: Additional Information
- Korean Title: 너의 의미
- Released: May 16, 2014
- Album: A Flower Bookmark (꽃갈피)
- Genre: Acoustic Pop / Indie Ballad
- Original Version: Sanulrim (산울림, 1984)
– Written and composed by: Kim Chang-Wan
🎶 Introduction to IU & Kim Chang-Wan
IU (아이유)
📢 Please check other posts
in the K-Lingo category for introductions to other songs and IU.
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🔖 K-Pop Korean Lesson: What IU’s “Midnight Walk” Teaches About Love and Language
🔖 Speak Korean Like a Native with IU - “eight” (Prod. & Feat. SUGA OF BTS): Lyrics & Expressions
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🔖 IU “Good Day” Lyrics Meaning & Analysis: The Magic Behind Her Iconic High Note
🔖 Speak Korean Like a Native with IU - "LILAC": Lyrics & Expressions
🔖 Learn Korean Through Lyrics: IU & Lim Hyun-jung’s “Love as Spring Rain, Farewell as Winter Rain” Explained
Kim Chang-Wan (김창완)
📢 Please check other posts in the K-Lingo category for introductions to different songs and Kim Chang-Wan.
🔖 Learn Korean Through K-Pop: Kim Feel’s “Youth” Vocabulary Breakdown
🌍 If
you’d like to read the full lyrics, please visit official music platforms such
as Melon, Genie Music, Apple Music, or Spotify!
❗The copyright belongs to the original
creators, and the management of music royalties and copyrights is handled by
the respective copyright holders and organizations such as the Korea Copyright
Commission.
❗This analysis is intended for educational and language-learning purposes and does not replace the official lyrics.
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