阿牛 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 陈奕迅

Lyrics & Translation

[Chinese]

[English]

不能回頭

Can't turn back

多年前 早明言不能回頭

Years ago, I was told there's no turning back

可恨在 是我這一頭蠻牛

Sadly, it's because I am this wild bull

幾年來無法侍候 才和我分手

For years, unable to serve, so we broke up

成婚之前一刻才趕到

Got there just in time before the wedding

難得你來通報才知道

Rarely you come to inform me, so I find out

往日共你追憶永遠是好

Cherishing the past with you is forever good

怎能預計似這般難共你同揩共老

How could I have predicted it would be so hard to grow old with you

你話只需肯做

You said all it takes is willingness

差一剎與我拾回舊好

Just a moment to restore our old friendship

不甘心

Can't bring myself to give up

尤其這新婚 就像玩犧牲

Especially with this new marriage, feels like playing sacrificial lamb

想過搶新娘 我差點講真

Thinking of stealing the bride, I almost said it for real

...

...

歷史一刻早已將舊伴侶轉送別人

History has long since transferred former lovers to someone else

我說 別傷心 仍能恰當大方去做人

I say, don’t be sad, I can still act rightly and gracefully as a person

約定日後你若和他相分

If one day you part ways with him

拿來用你尚有餘的惻隱

Use the compassion you still have

憐憫我此生的不幸

To pity the misfortune of my life

不緊要 約到明年來生

It’s okay, we’ll meet again in the next life

不甘心 人人不開心

Can't accept it, everyone’s unhappy

尤其這新婚 失去我身份

Especially with this wedding, I lose my identity

不甘心

Can't accept it

明明不開心 就是不甘心

Clearly unhappy, yet can’t accept it

不過我肯等 等一生都等

But I’m willing to wait, waiting all my life

這都好

That's okay

自小想拿到的全得到

Everything I wanted since I was little, I’ve got now

如今我求不到才知道

Now I can't get it, and I realize

我命運裡雖則當你是寶

Though I hold you as a treasure in my fate

天涯上有更多的好

There are better things beyond the horizon

情人仍然未抱

Still no embrace from my lover

要這麼的慘酷

Why has it to be so cruel

她不要我再拾回舊好

She doesn’t want me to restore what we had

不甘心 人人不開心

Can't accept it, everyone’s unhappy

尤其這新婚 失去我身份

Especially with this wedding, I lose my identity

不甘心 明明不開心 就是不甘心

Can't accept it—obviously unhappy, just can’t accept it

不過我肯等 等一生都等

But I’m willing to wait, waiting all my life

一頭蠻牛

A wild bull

闖情場竟成為一頭蠻牛

Stumbled into romance, become a wild bull

慘淡在是我知不能回頭

Miserable, I know I can't turn back

欺騙我能約定未來回頭

Deceiving myself into thinking I can plan to turn back someday

我是牛 我是牛

I am a bull, I am a bull

...

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
回頭 (huítóu) /xu̯eɪtʰoʊ̯/ B1	verb - to turn one's head; to turn back; to repent
蠻牛 (mánniú) /mǎn.njǒʊ̯/ B2	noun - stubborn person; headstrong person
分手 (fēnshǒu) /fə́nʃoʊ̯/ B1	verb - to break up; to part company
成婚 (chénghūn) /ʈʂʰə̌ŋ.xu̯ən/ C1	verb - to get married; to marry
追憶 (zhuīyì) /ʈʂu̯eɪ̯ì/ C1	verb - to reminisce; to recall
預計 (yùjì) /y̯ŷ.tɕî/ B2	verb - to predict; to estimate
犧牲 (xīshēng) /ɕí.ʂə́ŋ/ B2	noun - sacrifice verb - to sacrifice
搶 (qiǎng) /t͡ɕʰjǎŋ/ B1	verb - to snatch; to rob; to grab
傷心 (shāngxīn) /ʂáŋ.ɕín/ B1	adjective - sad; heartbroken
大方 (dàfāng) /tâ.fáŋ/ B1	adjective - generous; magnanimous
約定 (yuēdìng) /y̯œ́tɪ̂ŋ/ B2	verb - to agree on; to promise
惻隱 (cèyǐn) /t͡sʰɤ̂.ìn/ C1	noun - compassion; sympathy
憐憫 (liánmǐn) /ljěn.mìn/ C1	verb - to pity; to show compassion
身份 (shēnfèn) /ʂə́n.fə̂n/ B1	noun - identity; status; capacity
慘酷 (cǎnkù) /t͡sǎn.kʰû/ C1	adjective - cruel; brutal
欺騙 (qīpiàn) /t͡ɕʰí.pʰjên/ B2	verb - to deceive; to cheat

Key Grammar Structures

• 不能回頭

  ➔ Modal verb + verb

  ➔ The phrase uses a modal verb '不能' (cannot) + verb '回頭' (turn back), expressing inability or impossibility.

• 多年前 早明言不能回頭

  ➔ Adverbial phrase + verb + object

  ➔ The phrase '多年前 早明言' means 'many years ago, it was already made clear', with '早' (early) emphasizing prior declaration.

• 怎能預計似這般難共你同揩共老

  ➔ Comparative phrase + verb + conjunction + verb phrase

  ➔ The phrase expresses disbelief or question about how it's possible to expect something difficult to happen, using a rhetorical question structure.

• 我命運裡雖則當你是寶

  ➔ Subordinate clause + main clause

  ➔ The phrase uses a concessive clause '雖則' (although/even though) to contrast with the main statement that 'you are as precious as treasure' in 'my destiny'.

• 不甘心 人人不開心

  ➔ Adjective + noun + phrase

  ➔ This pattern repeats '不甘心' (not willing to accept) followed by '人人不開心' (everyone is unhappy), emphasizing frustration and sadness.

• 我是牛 我是牛

  ➔ Subject + to be + noun

  ➔ The repeated phrase '我是牛' (I am a cow) emphasizes identity and self-characterization, using the simple subject + verb structure.