「just the way you are」の意味、「just the way」は通常どのように使われているかご存知でしょうか?

Luke

こんにちは、イギリス生まれ・東京在住、英語教師で作家のLukeです。今週、僕が書いたオノマトペ(擬態語・語音後)についての本 が出版されました。是非チェックしてみて下さい!

「 just the way you are.」というフレーズは英語の歌によく出てきます。例えば、「Bruno Mars」が書いた歌の題名は「I Like You Just the Way You Are」です。ところで、「 just the way you are」はどういう意味になると思いますか?そして、なぜ「just」が使われているのでしょうか?

「I like you just the way you are.」を日本語にすると、「そののままのあなたが好きだよ」という意味になるでしょう。このフレーズは愛している人だけに対して使います。そして、「あなたのいいところもあなたの欠点も好きだよ」という感情を伝えています。これは英語でいうと、「unconditional love」です。それは日本語で言う無条件の愛だと思います。 このフレーズを使う人は、親と恋人ですね。

この「just the way」は様々な英語のフレーズで使われています。「just」は「そのまま」を強調します。例えば、「I like you the way you are.」とも言えますが、「I like you the way you are」というと、より強い感情が伝わっています。以下の例文にも「just」は「そのまま」や「このまま」を強調するたまに使われています。

How would you change the house?
I like things just the way they are.
家をどういうふうに作り直すの?
このままがいいと思うよ。

上記の例文は、今のままがいいと思っている時に使うフレーズです。

That’s just the way it is.
まあ、そんなものさ。

8 件のコメント

  • When I read the phrase “Just the way you are”, it reminds me the song by Billy Jowel.
    I like this song very much. In Japan, this song is often used in famous TV drama.
    How about UK?

  • 例えば、「I like you the way you are.」とも言えますが、「I like you the way you are」というと、より強い感情が伝わっています。

  • I actually really don’t understand people’s sense using a word of ‘love’ in english from time to time.
    You express it can be used among parents or lovers.
    It’s so limited idea of the meaning in itself .
    I’m sending you this message not to show that I can write well.
    Nevertheless,I hope to express it can be used among evrything and everyone.
    Because,love is not Just A way of them, who they are.
    Love is Just The way for all being.

  • Hello again Luke,
    I was thinking about meaning of ” way ” in a sentence below:

    “Everything is the way it is because it got that way”

    It was written by the biologist.
    So,I referred to the explanation about “way” in your example sentence which is “I like you just the way you are”.
    however,there is no translated word which is equivalent to ” way ” in your translation in Japanese.

    ” way ” has many meanings and synonyms:
    ・method
    ・style
    ・custom
    etc.
    but,those synonyms in the dictionary do not fit its feeling.
    I think ” way ” means ” what it is ” in this case.
    ” I like just what it is ( on you.)”
    “Everything is what it is because it got that way”
    However,there are ” way ” twice in the above sentence:
    1.The Way It Is
    2.It Got That Way

    Let me explain overview a bit.
    The biologist explored the form and structure of living organisms.
    He did not describe the following overview.
    But,I think the following overview is important for understanding his thoughts:
    For example,
    nature has given animals the physical necessary for survival.
    Think about horse,rabbit,etc.
    Side placement of the eyes is essential to the survival of them as it allows them to increase side vision.
    Side vision is a sensitive detector for motion.
    Peripheral vision allows creatures to effectively scan for danger.
    The rabbits must be constantly aware of natural enemies while they eat greens.
    At the first sign of danger, peripheral vision,
    the motion detector system, alerts the rabbit that there is danger.
    The immediate reflexive response is for the rabbit to run..
    Then,the form of rabbits is ” the way it is “.
    So,I mean it is “what the living organisms came down to “:
    “Everything is what the living creatures came down to it is because it got that way”

    Do all of the processes rest upon just a physical principle?
    Our typical cell is a rounded form of the semifluid, colloid.
    The biologist described like this:

    “Matter of itself has no power to do, to make, or to become.”
    Then,what kind of methods did they use to evolution?
    The biologist said below:

    “The visible field of force is often called the nuclear spindle though,
    Of how it is that the soul informs the body, physical science teaches me nothing”
    My thoughts is like this:

    ” When we introduce change of the existing conception,
    our phenomenon becomes capable of regeneration.”

    This is why I refuse some people who is bounded by the narrow limitations.

    If I am 5 years old,they say that ” I (i.e.we) know you get limit.”.
    If I am a teenager,they say that ” I (i.e.we) know you get limit.”.
    They also like to say:
    ” This one is applicable to ages between fifteen and eighty.”
    Their narrow thoughts are wrong.
    Their low consciousness should be applicable to themselves that they hope so.

    But, real god of power has never taken narrow limits.
    No one can explain the living body as they can not comprehend the soul or its destiny.
    Then,the second meaning of ” way ” is ” force” because ” force” is our real method we can use.

    How can we use the force?
    The biologist said:
    “Consciousness is not explained to my comprehension by all the
    nerve-paths and “neurones” of the physiologist.”

    Therefore,he have to say like:
    “Everything is doubtless a resultant of many undefined contributory causes.”
    at the same time.

    In my opinion, one of the method in order to grow the force is like this:
    ” To avoid being under certain circumstances ”

    It means to avoid vicious people who like prejudice using ageism,sexism,discrimination based on whether “miss” or not,having kids or not,having wives or not,unfair treatment with unreasonable racism,etc.
    ( We must distinguish which is the real racist because real racists criticize peaceful one as racist today..)

    They are far from real power and lacking it inward and outward.

    Whereas,what is due to energy and is manifested in force are attributed to individuality.

    Particular virtues are individuality.
    It’s not unit like group in underworld.

    The biologist described:

    ” nature and specific identity of the force or forces is a very different matter.
    This latter problem is likely to be very difficult of elucidation, for the reason, among others, that very different forces are often very much alike in their outward and visible manifestations.”

    He said also like this:
    “Reality is a “sphere of action” of certain more or less localised forces”.

    And,I’d like to ask him :
    ” If on the other hand, how about is that specific identity is beyond “sphere of action” of three dimensions? ”
    Perhaps,he and I reach the same fact.

    We are special energy that all these potentialities reside, energy invisibly associated with the material system, and in interaction with the energies of the surrounding universe.
    This fact is interesting, because it indicates that my power’s source is an infinite.

    I am never what is stored into form.
    And,you,too.

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    記事を書いたLukeについて

    英語の教師と作家。父はイギリス人、母はアメリカ人。イギリス生まれ、13歳でアメリカへ。卒業後はワシントンDCで記者。現在東京に在住。著書に『この英語、どう違う?』(KADOKAWA)、『とりあえずは英語でなんと言う?』 (大和書房)、など。NHK基礎英語1と婦人公論の連載。