單車 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 陳奕迅

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural discovery, and Eason Chan's '單車' (Bicycle) is a perfect place to start with Cantonese. This song is special not only for its beautiful melody but also for its rich, layered lyrics that tell a story of unspoken love and familial bonds. By exploring the nuances of the lyrics, you'll gain insight into traditional Chinese family dynamics and learn poetic expressions of emotion. Let the heartfelt vocals of Eason Chan guide you through the touching narrative of '單車' and deepen your appreciation for the Cantonese language.

[English]

Don't, don't assume I know

Everything, everything is done for me

Why are you so great?

I can't feel it at all

How good is love that is unspoken?

Only once do I remember truly touching

You and I riding on a bicycle

Embracing tightly back to back

Hard to leave, hard to part, wanting to hug tighter, this vast life feels like a wilderness

If a child can lean on his father's shoulders, who would want to get off the bike?

Hard to leave, hard to part, there are always some common feelings that cannot be pushed away

No matter how cold the world is, thinking of this bicycle, there's still happiness to borrow

...

You've already given it to me, how could I not see it?

Although playing your role is really difficult

Always leaving the position vacant,

Why not give me a hug?

How do you expect me to believe this?

You cherish me so much, but you don't want me to know

I miss the bicycle that gave you and me

The only hug we ever had

Hard to leave, hard to part, wanting to hug tighter, this vast life feels like a wilderness

If a child can lean on his father's shoulders, even if the long road is steep

Love me, love me more, so I can walk stronger in the future

If you mind loving me, who will give me charity?

...

Hard to leave, hard to part, wanting to hug tighter, this vast life feels like a wilderness

If a child can lean on his father's shoulders, who would want to get off the bike?

Hard to leave, hard to part, there are always some common feelings that cannot be pushed away

Even if the world blames me, do you know that I only have you to bear my madness or wildness?

...

[Chinese]

不要 不要假設我知道

一切 一切也都是為我而做

為何這麼偉大?

如此感覺不到

不說一句的愛有多好?

只有一次記得實在接觸到

騎著單車的我倆

懷緊貼背的擁抱

難離難捨想抱緊些 茫茫人生好像荒野

如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊 誰要下車?

難離難捨總有一些 常情如此不可堆卸

任世間再冷酷 想起這單車 還有幸福可借

經已給我 怎會看不到?

雖說演你角色實在有難度

從來虛位以待

何不給個擁抱?

想我怎去相信這一套

多疼惜我 卻不便讓我知道

懷念單車給你我

唯一有過的擁抱

難離難捨想抱緊些 茫茫人生好像荒野

如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊 哪怕遙遙長路多斜

你愛我愛多些 讓我他朝走得堅壯些

你介意來愛護 又靠誰施捨?

難離難捨想抱緊些 茫茫人生好像荒野

如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊 誰要下車?

難離難捨總有一些 常情如此不可堆卸

任世間怨我壞 可知我只得你 承受我的狂或野

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
假設 /jiǎshè/ B1	verb - to assume or suppose
偉大 /wěidà/ B2	adjective - great or magnificent
擁抱 /yōngbào/ A2	verb - to hug or embrace noun - a hug or embrace
人生 /rénshēng/ A2	noun - life
幸福 /xìngfú/ A2	noun - happiness or bliss
懷念 /huáiniàn/ B1	verb - to miss or cherish the memory of
角色 /juésè/ B1	noun - role or character
接觸 /jiēchù/ B2	verb - to contact or touch
冷酷 /lěngkù/ B2	adjective - cold-hearted or ruthless
施捨 /shīshě/ B2	verb - to give or donate (charity)
堆卸 /duīxiè/ C1	verb - to unload or offload
堅壯 /jiānzhuàng/ B2	adjective - strong or sturdy
荒野 /huāngyě/ B2	noun - wilderness or desolate area
難離難捨 /nánlínánshě/ C1	phrase - hard to part with

Key Grammar Structures

• 為何這麼偉大?

  ➔ Question word + 這麼 + adjective

  ➔ "為何" asks a question of reason, and "這麼" emphasizes the degree of the adjective.

• 不說一句的愛有多好?

  ➔ Negation + verb + measure word + noun + question word

  ➔ "不說一句的愛" refers to love that is not expressed openly, with "有多好" asking how good it is.

• 騎著單車的我倆

  ➔ Verb + 著 + noun phrase + 的 + pronoun

  ➔ "騎著單車的我倆" uses the particle "著" to indicate ongoing action, describing the couple riding bikes.

• 茫茫人生好像荒野

  ➔ Adjective + 如 + noun

  ➔ "茫茫人生" describes a vast, uncertain life, and "好像荒野" uses "like" to compare it to wilderness.

• 如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊

  ➔ Like + noun / clause

  ➔ "如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊" uses "如" to compare with a child resting on father's shoulder, expressing trust and dependence.

• 常情如此不可堆卸

  ➔ Adjective + such + 不可 + verb

  ➔ "常情如此不可堆卸" expresses that certain feelings are so genuine that they cannot be discarded or dismissed.

• 任世間怨我壞

  ➔ 任 + noun / subject + verb

  ➔ "任世間怨我壞" expresses a willingness to accept the world's blame or criticism.