百姓 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 吳業坤

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heart of Hong Kong's contemporary music scene with "百姓" by Wu Yip Kwan. This poignant Cantopop ballad offers a powerful lesson in resilience and self-belief, echoing the aspirations of ordinary individuals. By exploring its lyrics, you'll not only grasp compelling Cantonese expressions related to personal struggle and empowerment but also gain insight into a song that encourages listeners to carve their own destiny against the odds, making it a special piece for language and cultural immersion.

[English]

Some people are on the mountaintop, while others are at the foot of the mountain

Tomorrow we'll see who has changed positions, up or down, or even reversed

Some are a bit happier, but they can't stop you from striving harder

Who says the little guys have no power and are unwilling, stuck at the starting line

Don't trust them, no one is unbeatable, even the Supreme Court can't judge so easily

Clearly the people are the crowd, no more need to struggle, just look for a good show to watch

Everyone loves the ordinary, no legends, the big climate calls for simplicity and dullness

If you don't believe me, even on the land you can't afford, you can still become your own

The big plan is to unify, to play the game like a chess piece, untrained dancing, the hundred surnames, speaking of pride

Contentedly be the common folk until escaping the injustice of the century

On the flat ground, rewriting the era of creation again

Some are on the side, some take center stage

Don't believe this nonsense, cross your arms, smear your own face

One day, the raised hands of those cultivated want to cut down ordinary lives, calling them too cheap

Everyone, every person, brainwashed; the dark star cannot shine

Everyone loves the ordinary, no legends, the big trend calls for simplicity and dullness

If you don't believe me, even on the land you can't afford, you can still make yourself strong

The big plan is to unite, to make a move like a chess game, untrained dancing, the hundred surnames, discussing pride

Be a humble citizen, choose a moment to turn things around and leap up

Don't make God despise you; don't abandon yourself

Everyone loves the ordinary, no legends, the big trend requires restraint, stay where you are

I'm just afraid that you and I are eight thousand miles apart, finishing our adventure in the sky

The big plan is to unify, to play the game like a chess piece, untrained dancing, the hundred surnames, talking about pride

Stay true to your roots, don’t seek harmony just for its own sake, through joy and pain

Ten thousand people, ten thousand sets of truths in their hearts

...

[Chinese]

總有些人在山頂 總有些人在山腳

明日再看 誰換了個位 上和下 或者倒轉

總有些人幸福點但卻阻不住你爭氣點

是誰話 小嘍囉 沒權不甘心 停在起跑綫

別信他 沒人是 推不翻的 終審法院 能隨便判斷

明明是羣眾 無謂再掙扎 去找齣好戲演

大家都 愛普通 沒傳奇 大氣候 要清淡 而無味

不信你跟我 在無力買的地皮都有力成為自己

大方針 要統一 做隻棋 未鼓∼舞 百家姓 談骨氣

安份做百姓 直到逃離 委屈世紀

在平地 再寫 創世紀

總有些人在側邊 總有些人做主角

別信這種胡言 自行打交叉 塗自己的臉

自某天 被培育 舉高的手 統統要剪凡人命太賤

人人路人甲 全受到洗腦 暗星不可以閃

大家都 愛普通 沒傳奇 大氣候 要清淡 而無味

不信你跟我 在無力買的地皮 都有力成為自己

大方針 要統一 做隻棋 未鼓∼舞 百家姓 談骨氣

安份做百姓 擇個時辰 翻身躍起

教上帝嫌棄 別自棄

大家都 愛普通 沒傳奇 大氣候 要克制 留原地

只怕你跟我在離地八千里 天空裡完成歷險記

大方針 要統一 做隻棋 未鼓∼舞 百家姓 談骨氣

忠實做百姓 別要和諧 歡喜痛悲

萬人萬套心中真理

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
山頂 (shāndǐng) /ʃan dɪŋ/ A2	noun - mountaintop, summit
山腳 (shānjiǎo) /ʃan tɕjaʊ/ A2	noun - foot of a mountain
位 (wèi) /weɪ/ A1	noun - position, place
幸福 (xìngfú) /ɕiŋ fu/ B1	adjective - happy, blessed
爭氣 (zhēngqì) /ʈʂɤŋ t͡ɕʰi/ B2	verb - to be eager to make a good showing; to strive to be worthy
權 (quán) /t͡ɕʰɥan/ B1	noun - right, power
不甘心 (bùgānxīn) /pu kan ʃin/ B2	adjective - unwilling to accept defeat; not reconciled to
停 (tíng) /tʰiŋ/ A1	verb - to stop
終審法院 (zhōngshěnfǎyuàn) /ʈ͡ʂʊŋ ʂən fan ɥan/ C1	noun - court of final appeal
判斷 (pànduàn) /pʰan twan/ B2	verb - to judge, to determine
羣眾 (qúnzhòng) /t͡ɕʰy̌n ʈ͡ʂʊŋ/ B1	noun - the masses, the people
掙扎 (zhēngzhá) /ʈ͡ʂɤŋ ʈ͡ʂa/ B2	verb - to struggle
傳奇 (chuánqí) /ʈ͡ʂʰwan t͡ɕʰi/ B2	noun - legend, legendary
地皮 (dìpí) /ti pʰi/ B1	noun - land, plot of land
骨氣 (gǔqì) /kù t͡ɕʰi/ B2	noun - unyielding integrity, moral courage
百姓 (bǎixìng) /pai ɕiŋ/ A2	noun - common people
逃離 (táolí) /tʰao li/ B1	verb - escape, flee
委屈 (wěiqu) /weɪ tɕʰy/ B1	adjective - wronged, aggrieved
創世紀 (chuàngshìjì) /ʈʂʰwaŋ ʂɨ t͡ɕi/ C1	noun - Genesis, new era

Key Grammar Structures

• 總有些人在山頂

  ➔ Use of the existential verb ‘有’ (yǒu) to indicate existence or presence.

  ➔ The phrase '總有些人在山頂' uses '有' to express that some people exist on the mountain top.

• 明日再看

  ➔ Use of the adverb '再' to indicate 'again' or 'later' in future tense.

  ➔ The phrase '明日再看' uses '再' to convey 'look again tomorrow' or 'see later tomorrow'.

• 別信他

  ➔ Use of the imperative form with '別' (bié) to give a command or prohibition: 'don't believe him'.

  ➔ The phrase '別信他' uses '別' to tell someone 'do not believe him'.

• 直到逃離

  ➔ Use of '直到' (zhídào) to mean 'until' or 'up to the point'.

  ➔ The phrase '直到逃離' expresses 'until escaping'.

• 做隻棋

  ➔ Use of the word '做' (zuò) meaning 'to make' or 'to do', combined with '棋' (qí) meaning 'chess' or 'game'.

  ➔ The phrase '做隻棋' means 'to make a chess piece' or metaphorically 'to play the game'.

• 談骨氣

  ➔ Use of the verb '談' (tán) meaning 'to discuss' or 'to talk about', combined with '骨氣' (gǔ qì) meaning 'integrity' or 'spirit'.

  ➔ The phrase '談骨氣' refers to discussing or advocating for integrity and spirit.

• 萬人萬套心中真理

  ➔ Use of '萬人萬套' as an idiomatic expression meaning 'everyone has their own way', combined with '心中真理' meaning 'truth in heart'.

  ➔ The phrase '萬人萬套心中真理' suggests that each person has their own truth or perspective.