阿牛 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 陈奕迅

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depths of Cantopop with Eason Chan's '阿牛' (Ah Niu). This powerful ballad offers a rich linguistic and cultural experience, allowing learners to grasp complex emotions and narrative structures in Cantonese lyrics. Through its evocative storytelling of regret and missed love, you can explore common Cantonese phrases related to relationships, stubbornness, and personal reflection, making it a captivating and relatable piece for language acquisition. The song's unique portrayal of its protagonist, a 'stubborn ox' in love, makes it a special and memorable piece in Eason Chan's acclaimed discography.

[English]

Can't turn back

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

Sadly, it's because I am this wild bull

For years, unable to serve, so we broke up

Got there just in time before the wedding

Rarely you come to inform me, so I find out

Cherishing the past with you is forever good

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

You said all it takes is willingness

Just a moment to restore our old friendship

Can't bring myself to give up

Especially with this new marriage, feels like playing sacrificial lamb

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

...

History has long since transferred former lovers to someone else

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

If one day you part ways with him

Use the compassion you still have

To pity the misfortune of my life

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

Can't accept it, everyone’s unhappy

Especially with this wedding, I lose my identity

Can't accept it

Clearly unhappy, yet can’t accept it

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

That's okay

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

Now I can't get it, and I realize

Though I hold you as a treasure in my fate

There are better things beyond the horizon

Still no embrace from my lover

Why has it to be so cruel

She doesn’t want me to restore what we had

Can't accept it, everyone’s unhappy

Especially with this wedding, I lose my identity

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

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

A wild bull

Stumbled into romance, become a wild bull

Miserable, I know I can't turn back

Deceiving myself into thinking I can plan to turn back someday

I am a bull, I am a bull

...

[Chinese]

不能回頭

多年前 早明言不能回頭

可恨在 是我這一頭蠻牛

幾年來無法侍候 才和我分手

成婚之前一刻才趕到

難得你來通報才知道

往日共你追憶永遠是好

怎能預計似這般難共你同揩共老

你話只需肯做

差一剎與我拾回舊好

不甘心

尤其這新婚 就像玩犧牲

想過搶新娘 我差點講真

歷史一刻早已將舊伴侶轉送別人

我說 別傷心 仍能恰當大方去做人

約定日後你若和他相分

拿來用你尚有餘的惻隱

憐憫我此生的不幸

不緊要 約到明年來生

不甘心 人人不開心

尤其這新婚 失去我身份

不甘心

明明不開心 就是不甘心

不過我肯等 等一生都等

這都好

自小想拿到的全得到

如今我求不到才知道

我命運裡雖則當你是寶

天涯上有更多的好

情人仍然未抱

要這麼的慘酷

她不要我再拾回舊好

不甘心 人人不開心

尤其這新婚 失去我身份

不甘心 明明不開心 就是不甘心

不過我肯等 等一生都等

一頭蠻牛

闖情場竟成為一頭蠻牛

慘淡在是我知不能回頭

欺騙我能約定未來回頭

我是牛 我是牛

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.