頭から離れない
atama kara hanarenai
The English phrase "stuck in my head" is expressed in Japanese as 頭から離れない (atama kara hanarenai).
This phrase is used when a song or a thought repeats continuously in your mind and is difficult to forget. It can be applied to both literal things, such as a song and abstract things, such as a person's face or a specific thought.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is composed of 頭 (head), から (from) and 離れない (does not leave/detach).
Which one should you use?
You might use ずっと耳から離れない (never leaves your ears) or ずっと頭の中にこびりついている (continuously sticking to your mind). For a more formal context, you can use 繰り返し頭に浮かぶ to mean "repeatedly coming to mind".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 頭から離れない uses the plain/dictionary form of the verb, which makes it suitable for casual speech or as a clause within a sentence. To make the phrase polite, you change the ending to 頭から離れません.
How do you pronounce it?
atama kara hanarenai
Did you know?
- When a song is 'stuck' and becomes an obsession, Japanese speakers might use 中毒 (chuudoku), which is the medical term for 'poisoning' or 'addiction'. This frames the catchy song as a chemical dependency.
- The phrase こびりついている used for stubborn thoughts is the same word used to describe food burnt onto the bottom of a cooking pot.
- The verb 離れる in the phrase 頭から離れない is also used to describe the physical act of two planets drifting apart in space.
Examples in context
- あの曲が頭から離れない。I have that song stuck in my head.This sentence is useful for saying you have a specific song stuck in your head using 頭から離れない.Tatoeba #10133844 by small_snow, translation #6624388 by Eccles17
- さっきのメロディが頭から離れない。sakki no merodi ga atama kara hanarenai.The melody from a moment ago is stuck in my head.
- その歌詞がずっと頭から離れないんだ。sono kashi ga zutto atama kara hanarenai nda.Those lyrics are stuck in my head constantly.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new song they heard.
- 陽太 Yota新しい曲、聴いた？atarashii kyoku, kiita?Did you hear the new song?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、すごくいい曲だね。un, sugoku ii kyoku da ne.Yeah, it's a really good song.
- 陽太 Yotaリズムが頭から離れないよ。rizumu ga atama kara hanarenai yo.The rhythm is stuck in my head.
- 結衣 Yui私も同じこと考えてた！watashi mo onaji koto kangaeteta!I was thinking the same thing!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
