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Japanese meaning of 僕は死にましぇん！

— Tatsuro Hoshino ／ 101st Proposal

ぼくはしにましぇん！ (Boku wa shinimashen!)

English Translation:

I won't die!

Work: Character: Emotion: Scene:

Original Scene & Cultural Context

Scene in the Original Work:

At the end of episode 6. Kaoru lost her fiance in a traffic accident on their wedding day, and she cannot accept Tatsuro's love because she is afraid of losing someone again. Tatsuro jumps in front of an oncoming truck. It stops just in front of him, and he shouts, "I won't die! Because I love you, I won't die! I'll make you happy!"
日本語で読む
第6話のラスト。結婚式の当日に婚約者を交通事故で亡くした薫は、また大切な人を失うのが怖くて、達郎の思いに応えられない。達郎は走ってくるトラックの前に飛び出す。トラックは寸前で止まり、達郎は「僕は死にましぇん！あなたが好きだから、僕は死にましぇん！あなたを幸せにしますから！」と叫ぶ。

Cultural Context:

The drama aired in 1991 in Fuji TV's Monday 9 p.m. slot, starring Tetsuya Takeda and Atsuko Asano. しぇん reflects the accent of Takeda, who is from Fukuoka, where せ can sound like しぇ. This clumsy but sincere pronunciation made the line instantly famous. It is often imitated and parodied, and may also be used as a joke after surviving something tough, like a hard workout.
日本語で読む
1991年にフジテレビの月曜9時枠で放送され、武田鉄矢と浅野温子が主演した。「しぇん」は福岡出身の武田鉄矢のなまりで、「せ」が「しぇ」になる不器用で誠実な響きが、セリフを一気に有名にした。ものまねやパロディも多く、きつい筋トレを乗り切ったときなどに冗談で使うこともある。

Grammar & Learning Points

Grammar Point

•「僕は」= I (used by men; gentle). •「死にません」= will not die (polite negative of 死ぬ). •「しぇん」= an accented pronunciation of せん.
日本語で読む
•「僕」は男性が使うやわらかい一人称。•「死にません」は「死ぬ」の丁寧な否定形。•「しぇん」は「せん」のなまった発音。

Trap for English Speakers

The present form 死にません also covers the future, "I won't die." Don't copy しぇん in serious talk; outside the drama it sounds like a joke.
日本語で読む
「死にません」は現在形だが、未来の「死なない」という意味も表す。「しぇん」はなまりなので、まじめな場面でまねると冗談に聞こえる。

Example

Example 1Basic Example

  1. 台風の中で出かける夫に「気をつけてね」と言うと、「大丈夫、僕は死にません」と笑った。

    When I told my husband to be careful as he went out in the typhoon, he laughed, "Don't worry, I won't die."

Example 2Applied Example

  1. （フルマラソンのスタート前に）僕は死にましぇん！完走しますから！

    (Before the start of a full marathon) "I won't die! I'm going to finish!"

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Quick check

Meaning

What does 「僕は死にましぇん！」 mean?

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