打歌妹 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 娱人

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

Big brother, how you move, how you move.

The great rivers and the great seas.

Turn your body to the side and keep turning.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

Dance steps handed down through generations.

That tune is called Da Ge.

Brothers and sisters, old or young alike.

Oh, let's dance together with joy.

This is a traditional dance step.

Let me play this single-string instrument.

Come on, come on, we play the dan guan.

Come, perform the dance moves that the girls love.

Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

Big brother, how you move, how you move.

The great rivers and the great seas.

Turn your body to the side and keep turning.

Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

Big brother, how you move, how you move.

The great rivers and the great seas.

Turn your body to the side and keep turning.

Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

Big brother, how you move, how you move.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance. Big brother, how you move.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) The great rivers and seas, turn your body to the side and keep turning.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance. Big brother, how you move.

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance. Big brother, how you move.

Can't dance to the song? Learn how to dance.

...

[Chinese]

不會打歌麼學打歌

阿哥怎麼擺你怎麼擺

大江大海江大海

側愣身子麼轉著還

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

祖祖輩輩留下的舞步

那曲兒名字叫做打歌

兄弟姊妹 不管老老少少

Oh 一起歡樂地跳舞

這是一曲傳統的舞步

讓我來彈奏這一單弦子

來吧 來吧 我們旦管旦管

來打完妹子喜愛的舞步

不會打歌麼學打歌

阿哥怎麼擺你怎麼擺

大江大海江大海

側愣身子麼轉著還

不會打歌麼學打歌

阿哥怎麼擺你怎麼擺

大江大海江大海

側愣身子麼轉著還

不會打歌麼學打歌

阿哥怎麼擺你怎麼擺

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la)

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌 阿哥怎擺你怎擺

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 大江大海江大海 側愣身子麼轉著還

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌 阿哥怎擺你怎擺

(La-la-li-la-li-la-la) 不會打歌麼學打歌 阿哥怎擺你怎擺

不會打歌麼學打歌

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
打歌 /dǎ gē/ C1	noun - a traditional dance or song verb - to perform a traditional dance or song
學 /xué/ A2	verb - to learn
阿哥 /ā gē/ B2	noun - elder brother or a term of respect for a man
擺 /bǎi/ B1	verb - to place or to pose
大江 /dà jiāng/ A2	noun - big river
大海 /dà hǎi/ A2	noun - big sea
側愣 /cè lèng/ C1	verb - to tilt or lean to the side
轉 /zhuǎn/ A2	verb - to turn
祖祖輩輩 /zǔ zǔ bèi bèi/ C1	noun - generation after generation
留 /liú/ B1	verb - to leave behind
曲兒 /qǔ ér/ B2	noun - tune or melody
兄弟姊妹 /xiōng dì jiě mèi/ A2	noun - brothers and sisters
老少 /lǎo shào/ B1	noun - old and young
歡樂 /huān lè/ A2	adjective - joyful
彈奏 /tán zòu/ B2	verb - to play (a musical instrument)
單弦子 /dān xián zi/ C1	noun - a traditional Chinese string instrument
旦管 /dàn guǎn/ C2	noun - a specific rhythm or style in traditional music
妹子 /mèi zi/ A2	noun - young woman or girl

Key Grammar Structures

• 不會打歌麼學打歌

  ➔ Modal verb '不會' (bù huì) - expressing inability or lack of skill, followed by a verb phrase.

  ➔ The phrase uses the modal verb "不會" (bù huì), meaning "cannot" or "doesn't know how to." It's followed by the verb phrase "打歌" (dǎ gē), meaning "to do the song/dance."

• 阿哥怎麼擺你怎麼擺

  ➔ Question word '怎麼' (zěnme) used in a rhetorical question, paired with parallel structure for emphasis.

  ➔ The sentence structure emphasizes imitation: "How does the elder brother move? How do you move?" The question word "怎麼" (zěnme) is used rhetorically, creating a sense of mirroring.

• 大江大海江大海

  ➔ Repetition of the phrase '大江大海' (dà jiāng dà hǎi) - possibly metaphorical for vastness or a flowing motion.

  ➔ The repetition emphasizes a sense of scale or fluidity. The literal translation is "big river, big sea," which could represent something immense and flowing.

• 側愣身子麼轉著還

  ➔ Use of '麼' (me) which could be a particle or a dialectal element, followed by the verb '轉' (zhuǎn) meaning 'to turn' or 'to spin'. '還' (hái) might suggest continuation or still.

  ➔ This phrase describes the physical movement of the dance. The core verb is "轉" (zhuǎn), "to turn." "側愣身子" likely refers to the body posture during the turn. "麼" likely an interjection or a particle. "還" reinforces that the turning is ongoing.

• 祖祖輩輩留下的舞步

  ➔ Possessive construction: "祖祖輩輩 (zǔ zǔ bèi bèi)'s 舞步 (wǔ bù)" - meaning 'dance steps left by ancestors'.

  ➔ This uses a possessive structure where "祖祖輩輩" (zǔ zǔ bèi bèi, meaning 'ancestors') possess "舞步" (wǔ bù, meaning 'dance steps'), indicating a legacy of dance.

• Oh 一起歡樂地跳舞

  ➔ Adverbial phrase with 地 (de), modifying the verb 跳舞 (tiào wǔ) - dancing happily together.

  ➔ The adverbial phrase "歡樂地" (huān lè de) , meaning "happily," modifies the verb "跳舞" (tiào wǔ), indicating how they dance together.

• 來吧 來吧 我們旦管旦管

  ➔ Repetition of words '來吧' (lái ba) for emphasis and a possible dialectal or archaic use of '旦管旦管' (dàn guǎn dàn guǎn), potentially meaning 'let's do it/let's play'.

  ➔ The repetition emphasizes the invitation. '旦管旦管' may be a dialectal expression, likely expressing a call to action or participation.

• 不會打歌麼學打歌

  ➔ Modal verb '不會' (bù huì) - expressing inability or lack of skill, followed by a verb phrase.

  ➔ The phrase uses the modal verb "不會" (bù huì), meaning "cannot" or "doesn't know how to." It's followed by the verb phrase "打歌" (dǎ gē), meaning "to do the song/dance."

• 阿哥怎擺你怎擺

  ➔ Question word '怎' (zěn) forming a rhetorical question, mirroring the action: 'how does the elder brother move, and then how do you move'.

  ➔ The sentence is a rhetorical question emphasizing imitation. 'How the elder brother moves' mirrored by 'how you move'. The use of "怎" (zěn), a shortened form of "怎麼" (zěnme, meaning "how"), adds emphasis.