春秋 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 張敬軒

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depth of Cantopop with Hins Cheung's "春秋" (Spring and Autumn). This powerful ballad is a masterclass in conveying complex emotions through subtle yet profound lyrics, offering a unique opportunity to explore the nuances of the Cantonese language, particularly in expressing bittersweet feelings and unacknowledged heartache. Its rich vocabulary and poetic structure make it an excellent piece for language learners seeking to grasp more intricate expressions in Cantonese.

[English]

Who drank all the wine that night? That’s why I talked so much

Then you shook my hand and refused me, making it feel like friendship had deepened

I have no right to end our meetings, only because you're still kind

Still electrified by words close to sweet temptation

No one should blame the earth or heaven

Ending up like this, is it gods’ fault for not blessing more hypocritically?

I don’t mourn for you, so I don’t deserve regrets

You never crossed ten thousand miles with me, so the story couldn’t continue

My hair isn’t silver yet, catching a cold was also my fault—immature as I am, I should be happy like an angel

Is there luck in pretending to be weak, playing with disappointment?

Is there reason in shedding your hair for you, needing everyone's approval?

Heart so hopeless it’s shameful, heartbroken without any new ideas

That tear in your eye, lacking great ambitions

...

If love can be called great, it can still be joyful even when difficult

Until you realize living for you led to failure

It’s unsettling; my nature is bad

I don’t mourn for you, so I don’t deserve regrets

You never crossed ten thousand miles with me, so the story couldn’t continue

My hair isn’t silver yet, catching a cold was also my fault—immature as I am, I should be happy like an angel

Is there luck in pretending to be weak, playing with disappointment?

Is there reason in shedding your hair for you, needing everyone's approval?

Heart so hopeless it’s shameful, heartbroken without any new ideas

That tear in your eye, lacking great ambitions, too meaningless

...

If you think this is pain, it’s overly easy

I haven’t been rewritten by you, so how can I have heartfelt concerns?

I haven't been harmed by you, hated, turned into love stories—becoming useless paper

Spring and autumn only report major events; if loving you lacks meaning

These tears, they have nowhere to settle

I have no luck amplifying selfish disappointment

Nor reason to create hatred while you find true love that day

Want sorrow? It’s still possible. Deep inside, leaving thorns

At least meet thousands of times

...

[Chinese]

那夜誰將酒喝掉 因此我講得多了

然後你搖著我手拒絕我 動人像友情深了

我沒權終止見面 只因你友善依然

仍用接近甜蜜那種字眼通電

沒人應該 怨地怨天

得到這結局 難道怪罪神沒有更偽善的祝福

我沒有為你傷春悲秋不配有憾事

你沒有共我踏過萬里不夠劇情延續故事

頭髮未染霜 著涼亦錯在我幼稚 應快活像個天使

有沒有運氣再扮弱者 玩失意

有沒有道理為你落髮必須得到世人同意

心灰得極可恥 心傷得無新意

那一線眼淚 欠大志

愛若能堪稱偉大 再難捱照樣開懷

如令你發現為你而活到失敗

令人不安 我品性壞

我沒有為你傷春悲秋不配有憾事

你沒有共我踏過萬里不夠劇情延續故事

頭髮未染霜 著涼亦錯在我幼稚 應快活像個天使

有沒有運氣再扮弱者玩失意

有沒有道理為你落髮必須得到世人同意

心灰得極可恥 心傷得無新意

那一線眼淚 欠大志 太沒意思

若自覺這叫痛苦未免過份容易

我沒有被你改寫一生怎配有心事

我沒有被你害過恨過寫成情史 變廢紙

春秋只轉載要事 如果愛你欠意義

這眼淚 無從安置

我沒有運氣放大自私的失意

更沒有道理在這日你得到真愛製造恨意

想心酸 還可以 想心底 留根刺

至少要見面上萬次

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
酒 (jiǔ) /dʒìu/ A1	noun - alcohol; wine; liquor
手 (shǒu) /ʃoʊ/ A1	noun - hand
友情 (yǒuqíng) /joʊ̯ t͡ɕʰɪŋ/ A2	noun - friendship
甜蜜 (tiánmì) /tʰjɛ̌n mì/ B1	adjective - sweet; happy
结局 (jiéjú) /t͡ɕjɛ̌ t͡ɕy̌/ B1	noun - ending; conclusion
伤春悲秋 (shāngchūn bēi qiū) /ʂaŋ t͡ʂʰwən pei̯ t͡ɕʰi̯ou̯/ C1	verb - to be sentimental (of spring and autumn); to lament the passage of time
遗憾 (yíhàn) /ǐ xàn/ B2	noun - regret; pity; remorse adjective - regretful; unfortunate
剧情 (jùqíng) /t͡ɕỳ t͡ɕʰiŋ/ B2	noun - plot; story line
头发 (tóufa) /tʰǒʊ fa/ A1	noun - hair
染 (rǎn) /ɻan/ B1	verb - to dye
霜 (shuāng) /ʂwaŋ/ B2	noun - frost
幼稚 (yòuzhì) /joʊ t͡ʂi/ B2	adjective - childish; naive
天使 (tiānshǐ) /tʰjɛn ʂɻ/ B1	noun - angel
道理 (dàolǐ) /tàu li/ A2	noun - reason; argument
可耻 (kěchǐ) /kʰɤ ʈʂʰɻ/ B2	adjective - shameful; disgraceful
眼泪 (yǎnlèi) /jɛ̀n leɪ̯/ A2	noun - tear
伟大 (wěidà) /wèi tà/ B1	adjective - great; mighty
痛苦 (tòngkǔ) /tʰoŋ kʰu/ B1	adjective - painful noun - pain
情史 (qíngshǐ) /t͡ɕʰiŋ ʂɻ/ C1	noun - love history; romantic history
真爱 (zhēn'ài) /ʈ͡ʂən ài/ B1	noun - true love
心酸 (xīnsuān) /ɕin sʰwán/ B2	adjective - heartbroken
刺 (cì) /tsʰi/ B1	noun - thorn, splinter

Key Grammar Structures

• 那夜誰將酒喝掉 因此我講得多了

  ➔ Resultative Verb Complement (得)

  ➔ The "得" here indicates the result of the action. "講得多了" means "spoke too much" as a result of drinking.

• 然後你搖著我手拒絕我 動人像友情深了

  ➔ Simile (像)

  ➔ "像友情深了" is a simile, comparing the moving scene of rejection to a deep friendship.

• 我沒權終止見面 只因你友善依然

  ➔ Causative Conjunction (只因)

  ➔ "只因" introduces the reason why the speaker has no right to end the meetings: because the other person remains friendly.

• 我沒有為你傷春悲秋不配有憾事

  ➔ Negative Adverb (沒有) + Verb + Object + 不配 + Verb + Object

  ➔ The structure "沒有...不配..." expresses that because the speaker hasn't experienced deep emotional turmoil for the other person, they are not worthy of having regrets. "不配" means "not worthy of".

• 頭髮未染霜 著涼亦錯在我幼稚 應快活像個天使

  ➔ Conditional Conjunction (亦)

  ➔ "亦" here implies "even if". "著涼亦錯在我幼稚" means "even catching a cold is my fault because I'm immature."

• 有沒有運氣再扮弱者 玩失意

  ➔ Existential Question (有沒有)

  ➔ "有沒有" is used to ask if there is a possibility or chance of something. Here, it asks if there's any chance to pretend to be weak and play at being disappointed.

• 若自覺這叫痛苦未免過份容易

  ➔ Conditional Clause (若)

  ➔ "若" introduces a hypothetical condition. "若自覺這叫痛苦" means "if you think this is called pain..."

• 春秋只轉載要事 如果愛你欠意義

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (如果...)

  ➔ "如果愛你欠意義" introduces a condition: if loving you lacks meaning. The following sentence then describes the consequence.