Learning English Through Songs: "Anti-Hero" by Taylor Swift

Here are some lines from the song "Anti-Hero" written by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff. They include commonly used words, expressions, idioms, and phrasal verbs in English. This will help you understand the song better and improve your vocabulary.

LINE 1:

When my depression works the graveyard shift (1), all of the people I've ghosted (2) stand there in the room.

 

Possible Meaning: The character in the song indicates that her depression happens during late night to early morning hours and she thinks about the people she has cut off communication with. Despite the distance, she still feels their presence and the emotional weight of unresolved relationships, suggesting feelings of guilt, regret, or sadness about the past.

Vocabulary

(1) The "GRAVEYARD SHIFT" refers to a work shift that occurs during the late night to early morning hours, typically from around midnight to 8 a.m.

Translations:

• French: poste de nuit
• Japanese: 深夜勤務 (しんやきんむ, shinya kinmu)
• Chinese: 夜班 (yè bān)
• Korean: 야간 근무 (yagan geunmu)

 Sentence: "I have to work the graveyard shift this week."

Translations:

• French: "Je dois travailler le poste de nuit cette semaine."
• Japanese: "私は今週、深夜勤務をしなければなりません。" (Watashi wa konshū, shinya kinmu o shinakereba narimasen.)
• Chinese: "我这周必须上夜班。" (Wǒ zhè zhōu bìxū shàng yè bān.)
• Korean: "나는 이번 주에 야간 근무를 해야 한다." (Naneun ibeon jue yagan geunmureul haeya handa.)

(- for the complete lyrics of the song, watch video below)

(2) To "GHOST" (verb) someone means to suddenly cut off all communication with them, especially in a romantic context, without explanation.

Translations:

• French: ignorer
• Japanese: ゴーストする (gōsuto suru)
• Chinese: 断联 (duàn lián)
• Korean: 연락을 끊다 (yeollak-eul kkeunda)

 Sentence: "He decided to ghost her after their last date."

Translations:

• French: "Il a décidé de l'ignorer après leur dernier rendez-vous." Japanese: "彼は最後のデートの後、彼女をゴーストすることに決めました。" (Kare wa saigo no dēto no ato, kanojo o gōsuto suru koto ni kimemashita.)
• Chinese: "他在最后一次约会后决定断联。" (Tā zài zuìhòu yīcì yuēhuì hòu juédìng duàn lián.)
• Korean: "그는 마지막 데이트 후 그녀와 연락을 끊기로 결정했다." (Geuneun majimak deiteu hu geunyeowa yeollak-eul kkeulgi-ro gyeoljeonghaetta.)

 

LINE 2:

I should not be left to my own devices (3). They come with (4) prices and vices. I end up (5) in crisis.

 

Possible Meaning: The song's character feels that being left alone to do what she wishes without guidance leads to bad choices and problems, causing her to struggle.

Vocabulary

(3) To "BE LEFT TO MY (his, her, your, etc.) OWN DEVICES" means to be left alone to do as one wishes, often without supervision or guidance.

Translations:

• French: être laissé à mes propres moyens
• Japanese: 自分の好きなようにさせられる (jibun no sukina yō ni saserareru)
• Chinese: 自己处理 (zìjǐ chǔlǐ)
• Korean: 나 혼자 마음대로 하게 되다 (na honja ma-eumdaero hage doeda)

Sentence: "When I was left to my own devices, I read for hours."

Translations:

• French: "Quand j'ai été laissé à mes propres moyens, j'ai lu pendant des heures."
• Japanese: "私が自分の好きなようにさせられたとき、何時間も読書しました。" (Watashi ga jibun no sukina yō ni saserareta toki, nanjikan mo dokusho shimashita.)
• Chinese: "当我自己处理时，我阅读了几个小时。" (Dāng wǒ zìjǐ chǔlǐ shí, wǒ yuèdúle jǐ gè xiǎoshí.)
• Korean: "내가 혼자 마음대로 하게 되었을 때, 나는 몇 시간 동안 책을 읽었다." (Naega honja ma-eumdaero hage doeeosseul ttae, naneun myeoch sigan dongan chaeg-eul ilgeotda.) 

(4) "COME WITH" means to be included or provided together with something.

Translations:

• French: venir avec
• Japanese: ～が付いてくる (～ga tsuite kuru)
• Chinese: 附带 (fùdài)
• Korean: 함께 제공되다 (hamkke jegongdoeda)

Sentence: "The phone comes with a charger and headphones."

Translations:

• French: "Le téléphone vient avec un chargeur et des écouteurs."
• Japanese: "その電話には充電器とヘッドフォンが付いてきます。" (Sono denwa ni wa jūdenki to heddofon ga tsuite kimasu.)
• Chinese: "这部手机附带充电器和耳机。" (Zhè bù shǒujī fùdài chōngdiànqì hé ěrjī.)
• Korean: "이 전화기는 충전기와 헤드폰이 함께 제공됩니다." (I jeonhwagineun chungjeongi wa hedeupon-i hamkke jegongdoenda.)

(5)  "END UP" means to finally arrive at a particular place or situation, often unexpectedly.

Translations:

• French: finir par
• Japanese: 結局～になる (kekkyoku ~ ni naru)
• Chinese: 最终 (zuìzhōng)
• Korean: 결국 ~하게 되다 (gyeolguk ~hage doeda)

Sentence: "After searching for hours, we ended up at the wrong address."

Translations:

• French: "Après avoir cherché pendant des heures, nous avons fini par nous retrouver à la mauvaise adresse."
• Japanese: "何時間も探した後、私たちは結局間違った住所に着きました。" (Nanjikan mo sagashita ato, watashitachi wa kekkyoku machigatta jūsho ni tsukimashita.)
• Chinese: "经过几小时的寻找，我们最终到了错误的地址。" (Jīngguò jǐ xiǎoshí de xúnzhǎo, wǒmen zuìzhōng dào le cuòwù de dìzhǐ.)
• Korean: "몇 시간 동안 찾은 끝에 우리는 결국 잘못된 주소에 도착했다." (Myeoch sigan dongan chaj-eun kkeute urinen gyeolguk jalmosdoen jusoe dochakhaetta.)

 

LINE 3:

One day, I'll watch as you're leaving ‘cause (6) you got tired of my scheming (7).

Vocabulary

(6) ‘CAUSE is the shorter version of “because”, often used in speaking only.

(7) "SCHEMING" means planning or plotting, often in a secretive or clever way, usually for selfish purposes.

Translations:

• French: machiavélique
• Japanese: 策略を練る (さくりゃくをねる, sakuryaku o neru)
• Chinese: 密谋 (mìmóu)
• Korean: 음모를 꾸미다 (eummoreul kkumida)

Sentence: "She was always scheming to get what she wanted."

Translations:

• French: "Elle était toujours machiavélique pour obtenir ce qu'elle voulait."
• Japanese: "彼女はいつも欲しいものを得るために策略を練っていました。" (Kanojo wa itsumo hoshii mono o eru tame ni sakuryaku o nete imashita.)
• Chinese: "她总是密谋得到她想要的东西。" (Tā zǒng shì mìmóu dédào tā xiǎng yào de dōngxī.)
• Korean: "그녀는 항상 원하는 것을 얻기 위해 음모를 꾸몄다." (Geunyeoneun hangsang wonhaneun geoseul eodgi wihae eummoreul kkumyeotda.)

 

LINE 4:

I stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.

Possible Meaning: The character of the song doesn't have any problem solving societal problems or fighting authorities but she avoids examining herself, suggesting that she is afraid to see her true self or face her own problems.

LINE 5:

It must be exhausting always rooting for (8) the anti-hero (9).

 

Possible Meaning: The character of the song suggests that supporting anti-heroes can be tiring because they often make tough, questionable choices. Supporting someone who isn’t a typical hero can cause emotional highs and lows.

Vocabulary

(8) "ROOT FOR" means to support or cheer for someone or something, especially in a competition.

Translations:

• French: soutenir
• Japanese: 応援する (おうえんする, ōen suru)
• Chinese: 加油 (jiāyóu)
• Korean: 응원하다 (eungwonhada)

Sentence: "I always root for my favorite team during the game."

Translations:

• French: "Je soutiens toujours mon équipe préférée pendant le match."
• Japanese: "私は試合中にいつも好きなチームを応援します。" (Watashi wa shiai chū ni itsumo sukina chīmu o ōen shimasu.)
• Chinese: "我在比赛中总是为我喜欢的队伍加油。" (Wǒ zài bǐsài zhōng zǒng shì wèi wǒ xǐhuān de duìwǔ jiāyóu.)
• Korean: "나는 경기 중에 항상 내가 좋아하는 팀을 응원한다." (Naneun gyeonggi jung-e hangsang naega joh-ahaneun tim-eul eungwonhanda.)

 
(9) An "ANTI-HERO" is a main character who lacks typical heroic qualities, such as courage or morality, but is still compelling.

Translations:

• French: anti-héros
• Japanese: アンチヒーロー (anchihīrō)
• Chinese: 反英雄 (fǎn yīngxióng)
• Korean: 안티히어로 (anti hīeoro)

Sentence: "The movie's anti-hero struggled with his flaws but still managed to save the day."

Translations:

• French: "L'anti-héros du film a lutté contre ses défauts mais a quand même réussi à sauver la situation."
• Japanese: "映画のアンチヒーローは自分の欠点に苦しんだが、それでも日を救った。" (Eiga no anchihīrō wa jibun no ketsuten ni kurushinda ga, soredemo hi o sukutta.)
• Chinese: "电影的反英雄挣扎于自己的缺点，但仍然成功拯救了局面。" (Diànyǐng de fǎn yīngxióng zhēngzhá yú zìjǐ de quēdiǎn, dàn réngrán chénggōng zhěngjiùle júmiàn.)
• Korean: "영화의 안티히어로는 자신의 결점과 싸웠지만 결국 상황을 구했다." (Yeonghwa-ui anti hīeoro-neun jasineun gyeoljeom-gwa sawwotjiman gyeolguk sanghwang-eul guhaetda.)

Some famous anti-heroes and ant-heroines in films and TV are:

1. Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean)
2. Walter White (Breaking Bad)
3. Cruella De Vil (Cruella)
4. Harley Quinn (Suicide Squad)

 

LINE 6:

Too big (10) to hang out (11), slowly lurching toward (12) your favorite city, pierced through the heart (13), but never killed.

 

Possible Meaning: This means the character of the song has become so successful that she cannot spend time with friends and ordinary people anymore but she is still slowly trying to achieve a goal that she cherishes. She has experienced pain and challenges but she survives and remains resilient.

Vocabulary

(10) "TOO BIG" or "too successful" means something that has become excessively large or someone has achieved a high level of success that may lead to problems or challenges.

Translations:

• French: trop grand (trop réussi)
• Japanese: 大きすぎる (成功しすぎる, ōkisugiru / seikō shisugiru)
• Chinese: 太大 (太成功, tài dà / tài chénggōng)
• Korean: 너무 크다 (너무 성공적이다, neomu keuda / neomu seonggongjeogida)

Sentence: "The company became too big, making it hard to manage."

Translations:

• French: "L'entreprise est devenue trop grande, ce qui rend la gestion difficile."
• Japanese: "その会社は大きすぎて、管理が難しくなりました。" (Sono kaisha wa ōkisugite, kanri ga muzukashiku narimashita.)
• Chinese: "这家公司太大了，管理变得很困难。" (Zhè jiā gōngsī tài dàle, guǎnlǐ biàn dé hěn kùnnán.)
• Korean: "회사가 너무 커져서 관리하기 어려워졌다." (Hoesa ga neomu keojyeoseo gwallihagi eoryeowojyeotda.)

 

(12) "LURCHING TOWARD"

Translations:

• French: titubant vers Japanese: よろめきながら向かう (yoromekinagara mukau)
• Chinese: 蹒跚着朝 (pánshān zhe cháo)
• Korean: 비틀거리며 향하다 (biteulgeorimyeo hyanghada)

Sentence: "The ship was lurching toward the harbor as the storm began to calm."

Translations

• French: "Le navire titubait vers le port alors que la tempête commençait à se calmer."
• Japanese: "嵐が収まり始めると、船は向かう港によろめいていた。" (Arashi ga osamari hajimeru to, fune wa mukau minato ni yoromeiteita.)
• Chinese: "当风暴开始平息时，船正在蹒跚着朝港口前进。" (Dāng fēngbào kāishǐ píngxī shí, chuán zhèngzài pánshān zhe cháo gǎngkǒu qiánjìn.)
• Korean: "폭풍이 잦아들자 배가 항구를 향해 비틀거리고 있었다." (Pogpung-i jajeodeuljaga baega hangureul hyanghae biteulgeorigo isseotta.)

 

(13) "PIERCED THROUGH THE HEART" (in a figurative sense) means to experience deep emotional pain or hurt, often due to love or loss.

Translations:

• French: transpercé le cœur
• Japanese: 心を刺された (こころをさされた, kokoro o sasareta)
• Chinese: 刺痛了心 (cìtòngle xīn)
• Korean: 마음이 찔리다 (ma-eumi jjilida)

Sentence: "The news of her departure pierced through the heart, leaving him in sorrow."

Translations:

• French: "La nouvelle de son départ a transpercé le cœur, le laissant dans le chagrin."
• Japanese: "彼女の出発の知らせは心を刺し、彼を悲しみに残した。" (Kanojo no shuppatsu no shirase wa kokoro o sashi, kare o kanashimi ni nokoshita.)
• Chinese: "她离开的消息刺痛了他的心，让他陷入悲伤。" (Tā líkāi de xiāoxī cìtòngle tā de xīn, ràng tā xiànrù bēishāng.)
• Korean: "그녀의 떠나는 소식은 그의 마음을 찔러 슬픔에 빠뜨렸다." (Geunyeoui tteonaneun sosik-eun geuui ma-eum-eul jjilleo seulpeum-e ppatteuryeotda.)

 

LINE 7:

Did you hear my covert narcissism (14) I disguise (15) as altruism (16) like some kind of congressman?

 

Possible Meaning: The character of the song is asking listeners if they heard the talk that she hides her selfishness by pretending to be caring and helpful, just like some politicians do.

Vocabulary

(14) "COVERT NARCISSISM" refers to a kind of narcissism where people hide their insecurities, are sensitive to criticism, and don't show obvious arrogance, unlike more clear types of narcissism.

Translations:

• French: narcissisme caché
• Japanese: 隠れナルシシズム (かくれなるししずむ, kakurenarushizumu)
• Chinese: 隐性自恋 (yǐnxìng zìliàn)
• Korean: 은밀한 나르시시즘 (eunmilhan nareusisijeum)

Sentence: "Her covert narcissism made it hard for others to see her true feelings of inadequacy."

Translations:

• French: "Son narcissisme caché rendait difficile pour les autres de voir ses véritables sentiments d'inadéquation."
• Japanese: "彼女の隠れナルシシズムは、他の人々が彼女の本当の無力感を見るのを難しくしました。" (Kanojo no kakurenarushizumu wa, hoka no hitobito ga kanojo no hontō no muryokukan o miru no o muzukashiku shimashita.)
• Chinese: "她的隐性自恋使他人难以看到她真正的无能感。" (Tā de yǐnxìng zìliàn shǐ tārén nányǐ kàn dào tā zhēnzhèng de wúnéng gǎn.)
• Korean: "그녀의 은밀한 나르시시즘은 다른 사람들이 그녀의 진짜 무능감을 보기 어렵게 했다." (Geunyeoui eunmilhan nareusisijeum-eun dareun saramdeul-i geunyeoui jinjja mun-eungam-eul boki eoryeobge haetda.)

 

(15) "DISGUISE" (verb) means to change someone's appearance or identity so they cannot be recognized.

Translations:

• French: déguiser
• Japanese: 変装する (へんそうする, hensō suru)
• Chinese: 伪装 (wěizhuāng)
• Korean: 변장하다 (byeonjanghada)

Sentence: "He decided to disguise himself as a pirate for the costume party."

Translations:

• French: "Il a décidé de se déguiser en pirate pour la fête costumée."
• Japanese: "彼は仮装パーティーのために海賊に変装することにしました。" (Kare wa kasō pāti no tame ni kaizoku ni hensō suru koto ni shimashita.)
• Chinese: "他决定在化妆舞会上伪装成海盗。" (Tā juédìng zài huàzhuāng wǔhuì shàng wěizhuāng chéng hǎidào.)
• Korean: "그는 코스튬 파티를 위해 해적처럼 변장하기로 결정했다." (Geuneun koseutyum pati-reul wihae haejeokcheoreom byeonjanghagiro gyeoljeonghaetda.)

(16) "ALTRUISM" is the selfless concern for the well-being of others, often leading to acts of kindness without expecting anything in return.

Translations:

• French: altruisme
• Japanese: 利他主義 (りたしゅぎ, ritashugi)
• Chinese: 利他主义 (lìtā zhǔyì)
• Korean: 이타주의 (itajuui)

Sentence: "Her altruism inspired many people to help those in need."

Translations:

• French: "Son altruisme a inspiré de nombreuses personnes à aider ceux qui en ont besoin."
• Japanese: "彼女の利他主義は、多くの人々に困っている人を助けるように刺激を与えました。" (Kanojo no ritashugi wa, ōku no hitobito ni komatte iru hito o tasukeru yō ni shigeki o ataemashita.)
• Chinese: "她的利他主义激励了许多人去帮助需要帮助的人。" (Tā de lìtā zhǔyì jīlìle xǔduō rén qù bāngzhù xūyào bāngzhù de rén.)
• Korean: "그녀의 이타주의는 많은 사람들에게 도움이 필요한 사람을 돕도록 영감을 주었다." (Geunyeoui itajuui-neun manheun saramdeul-ege doumi piryohan saram-eul dopdorok yeong-gam-eul ju-eossda.)

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