白月光与朱砂痣 – Bilingual Lyrics Vietnamese/English

• By: 大籽

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of contemporary Mandopop and Chinese internet culture with Da Zi’s massive hit, 'White Moonlight and Cinnabar Mole.' The song is an excellent vehicle for learning cultural metaphors and common expressions of regret and nostalgia in Chinese, as its lyrics are based on a famous literary allusion that has become a widespread idiom for lost love.

[English]

An old ballad from long ago

All circling at the fingertips

The beauty I can't have

Always stirring in my heart

White rice grains, nowhere to fling

Even the words I write won't fade

There’s no rushing this moment—it's just right

The days grow long, driving people crazy

That moment, the heartbeat burns hot

There was also a time when there was nowhere to pause

Like a cluster of blazing fire burning

Bridges that burn too quickly to cross

Time roars by

Flames turn into a moon that sways

In unruly waves

And I never drift in dreams either

White moonlight shines

Only then do you remember how good he was

That cinnabar mole is hard to erase

Do you know?

The bright moon shines by the window

You leap away alone

White moonlight is youth

It's her smile

That moment, the heartbeat burns hot

There was a time when there was nowhere to pause

Like a raging blaze burning

The bridge that burns too fast to cross

Time roars by

Flames turn into a moon that sways

In unruly waves

Nor do I drift in dreams

White moonlight shines down

Only then do you remember how good he was

That cinnabar mole is hard to erase

Do you know?

The bright moon shines by the window

You leap far away alone

White moonlight is youth

It's her smile

White moonlight shines again

Only then do you remember how good he was

That cinnabar mole is hard to erase

Could you know?

The bright moonlight shines by the window

You leap far away alone

White moonlight is youth

It's her smile

[Vietnamese]

Cóngqián de gēyáo

Dōu zài zhǐ jiān rào

Dé bù dào dì měihǎo

Zǒng zài xīnjiān nào

Bái fànlì wú chù pāo

Wén zǐ xiě yě mò bu diào

Chù bùkě jí gānggāng hǎo

Rìjiǔtiāncháng ràng rén nǎo

Nà shí gǔntàng de xīntiào

Yě céng wú chù dùn táo

Xiàng yī tuán lièhuǒ ránshāo

Shāo jǐn kuà bùguò de qiáo

Shíguāng cōngcōng de pǎo

Huǒyàn huà zuò yuè yáoyáo

Zài wú jīdàng de bōtāo

Yě cóng bùzài mèng lǐ piāoyáo

Bái yuèguāng zài zhàoyào

Nǐ cái xiǎngqǐ tā de hǎo

Zhūshā zhì jiǔ nán xiāo

Nǐ shìfǒu néng zhīdào

Chuāng qián de míngyuè zhào

Nǐ dúzì yīrén yuǎn tiào

Bái yuèguāng shì niánshào

Shì tā de xiào

Nà shí gǔntàng de xīntiào

Yě céng wú chù dùn táo

Xiàng yī tuán lièhuǒ ránshāo

Shāo jǐn kuà bùguò de qiáo

Shíguāng cōngcōng de pǎo

Huǒyàn huà zuò yuè yáoyáo

Zài wú jīdàng de bōtāo

Yě cóng bùzài mèng lǐ piāoyáo

Bái yuèguāng zài zhàoyào

Nǐ cái xiǎngqǐ tā de hǎo

Zhūshā zhì jiǔ nán xiāo

Nǐ shìfǒu néng zhīdào

Chuāng qián de míngyuè zhào

Nǐ dúzì yīrén yuǎn tiào

Bái yuèguāng shì niánshào

Shì tā de xiào

Bái yuèguāng zài zhàoyào

Nǐ cái xiǎngqǐ tā de hǎo

Zhūshā zhì jiǔ nán xiāo

Nǐ shìfǒu néng zhīdào

Chuāng qián de míngyuè zhào

Nǐ dúzì yīrén yuǎn tiào

Bái yuèguāng shì niánshào

Shì tā de xiào

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
歌谣 gē yáo B1	noun - folk song
指尖 zhǐ jiān B2	noun - fingertip
美好 měi hǎo A2	adjective - beautiful; wonderful
心间 xīn jiān B2	noun - in the heart; inner feelings
墨 mò B1	noun - ink
心跳 xīn tiào B1	noun - heartbeat
燃烧 rán shāo B2	verb - to burn; to blaze
匆匆 cōng cōng B2	adjective - hurried; fleeting
火焰 huǒ yàn B2	noun - flame
月光 yuè guāng B1	noun - moonlight
时间 shí jiān A1	noun - time
桥 qiáo A2	noun - bridge
梦 mèng A1	noun - dream
波涛 bō tāo C1	noun - waves; billows
想起 xiǎng qǐ B1	verb - to recall; to think of
知道 zhī dào A2	verb - to know
窗 chuāng A1	noun - window
明月 míng yuè B2	noun - bright moon
年少 nián shǎo B2	adjective - young; youthful
笑 xiào A1	verb - to laugh; to smile

Key Grammar Structures

• Cóngqián de gēyáo

  ➔ Use of the attributive particle 的 (de) to link a modifier to a noun.

  ➔ The word "de" links the modifier "Cóngqián" (ancient) to the noun "gēyáo" (ballad).

• Dōu zài zhǐ jiān rào

  ➔ Construction "都在 + V" indicating a continuous or habitual action that applies to all subjects.

  ➔ "Dōu" (all) plus "zài" (be) shows that the action "rào" (to surround) is happening continuously for everyone.

• Dé bù dào dì měihǎo

  ➔ Negative potential construction "不到" (bù dào) meaning "cannot reach / cannot achieve".

  ➔ "bù dào" indicates that the beauty "měihǎo" cannot be reached or obtained.

• Zǒng zài xīnjiān nào

  ➔ Adverbial phrase "总是" (zǒng zài) meaning "always" used before a verb.

  ➔ "Zǒng" (always) + "zài" (at) shows the action "nào" (throb) is continuous.

• Xiàng yī tuán lièhuǒ ránshāo

  ➔ Simile structure "像...一样" omitted; here "像" + noun forms a literal comparison "like a burst of fire".

  ➔ "Xiàng" (like) introduces a comparison: "like a group of fire burning".

• Nǐ shìfǒu néng zhīdào

  ➔ Yes‑no question using "是否" (shìfǒu) + modal verb, meaning "whether you can know".

  ➔ "Shìfǒu" (whether) asks if "nǐ" (you) "néng" (can) "zhīdào" (know).

• Nǐ dúzì yīrén yuǎn tiào

  ➔ Adverbial phrase "独自" (dúzì) + numeral "一人" (yīrén) indicating "alone, by oneself" before the verb "跳" (tiào).

  ➔ "Dúzì" (alone) + "yīrén" (one person) emphasizes that "you" are jumping alone.

• Bái yuèguāng shì niánshào

  ➔ Use of the copula "是" (shì) to equate two nouns, forming a nominal predicate.

  ➔ "Shì" links "bái yuèguāng" (white moonlight) with "niánshào" (young), stating they are the same.