Meaning Behind “Chihiro” By Billie Eilish
The first verse deals with abandonment and loss. The song begins: “To take my love away/ When I come back around/ Will I know what to say?/ Said you won't forget my name/ Not today, not tomorrow/ Kind of strange/ Feeling sorrow.” Immediately, we are met with feelings of doubt, uncertainty, and emotional distress. This not only mirrors Chihiro’s plight in Spirited Away after her parents are unexpectedly turned into pigs, but may also reflect Eilish’s separate narrative about heartbreak and disillusionment.
The chorus highlights how the speaker may be losing themselves. “Open up the door, can you open up the door?/I know you said before you can't cope with any more/You told me it was war, said you'd show me what's in store/.” Although these lyrics may certainly be drawing from the frightening and disorienting emotional landscape of Spirited Away, the chorus provides a more intimate glimpse into the speaker’s separate but simultaneous narrative. For example, the lyrics seem to be implying that the speaker is losing herself in a turbulent relationship or is remembering the relationship with a heavy heart.
Verse 2 is about not recognizing someone you used to know and love. “Saw your seat at the counter when I looked away/ Saw you turned around, but it wasn't your face/ Said I need to be alone now, I'm taking a brеak/ How come when I returned, you were gone away?” Again, Eilish draws inspiration from Spirited Away, reimagining the scene in which Chihiro finds her parents turned into pigs, gorging on food. The perspectives merge, and the speaker’s turbulent relationship is brought up once more, connecting the “disappearance” of Chihiro’s parents to being abandoned in a relationship. Verse 3 continues the theme of seeing someone you once loved after a long time apart: “I was waiting in the garden/ Contemplating, beg your pardon?/ But there's a part of me that recognizes you/Do you feel that too?”
The post-chorus and outro comment are about the uncertainty of love. “Running my hands up my lap/ And you tell me it's all been a trap/ And you don't know if you'll make it back/I said, ‘No, don't say that.’” This part alludes to the uncertain yet magical time Chihiro spent in the Spirit Realm, hinting at the people—and spirits—she met along the way who helped her get out. The speaker in the song may be describing the dread and anxiety that one feels amid and in the aftermath of heartbreak. For those still suffering over a failed relationship, love itself can feel like a “trap,” and the speaker is unsure whether love is worth it.
What does “Chihiro” mean?
“Chihiro” translates into “thousand fathoms.” In Japanese, “chi” means “thousand,” and “hiro” means either “fathoms” or “to search.” The name is considered unisex, but is more commonly used for girls. No matter which interpretation you prefer, the name “chihiro” inarguably touches on themes of identity, loss, and the desire to return to who we were before tragedy struck. In Spirited Away, Yubaba steals parts of Chihiro’s name, leaving her only with “chi,” pronounced “Sen.” This play on loss of self is also evident in Eilish’s song, where she seemingly ruminates on past love and present heartache, losing herself in the process.
What Billie Eilish Had to Say
Eilish has said the song is a mix of the film perspective and her own. In a 2024 interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, Eilish shared this about “Chihiro”: “The song is loosely based off of that movie, which is one of my favorites… It’s kind of from her point of view, mixed with mine.” She went on to praise the “visuals” as “some of the best ever,” mentioning the whimsical and sorrowful images of the “train in the water after the flood” and how it resembled the ocean. Eilish added that she’d seen Spirited Away “so many times,” and that her brother, Finneas, made the beat for the song right after their most recent viewing of the film.
What the Music Video Reveals
The video portrays the depth and darkness of a toxic relationship. Eilish both directed and starred in the “Chihiro” music video. It begins with her character walking down a hall. She goes up a flight of stairs and then sees a young man in the shadowy distance, reminiscent of the character No Face in Spirited Away. In the film, No Face presents himself as a floating cloud of darkness with a white mask, never revealing his true face. This is symbolic of Chihiro’s own emotional struggles bubbling beneath the surface. Eilish then chases the young man, and they run down the halls holding hands. In the next scene, they appear to be frolicking joyfully in a field—until they get into a physical altercation, with pushing and pulling from both characters. In the final moments, we see glimpses of Eilish’s character sinking in dark water, showcasing how it feels to be in a toxic relationship. This imagery of drowning also alludes to the film, as water is a major plot point. At the end of Spirited Away, Chihiro’s closest confidant in the spirit realm reveals himself to be the spirit of the River Haku. The fact that “chihiro” translates into “thousand fathom” plays an additional role here in cementing the turbulent, overwhelming nature of love, relationships, and the grief that comes with loss.
Critical Reception of Eilish’s “Chihiro”
The “Chihiro” topped the charts as a single in early 2025. Eilish shared a 15-second teaser of “Chihiro” in April 2024, and the single was officially released in January 2025. The song was written by Eilish and her brother, Finneas, who also produced the song. In general, fans appreciated the dark, synth sound of the song, the emotional exploration of toxic relationships, and the undeniable thematic connections to Spirited Away. "Chihiro" debuted at number 6 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, quickly becoming a fan favorite. Additionally, “Chihiro” was nominated for “Best International Alternative Song in Japan” by Music Awards Japan.
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