單細胞 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 嚴爵
• Album: Simple Love

Lyrics & Translation

Thinking about learning Mandarin? Yen-j's song '單細胞' (dān xìbāo) is a great place to start. Its clear, heartfelt lyrics about wanting to simplify life and love make the language both accessible and relatable. The song's central metaphor of becoming a 'single-cell organism' to escape worries is a unique and memorable concept that can help you learn new vocabulary in a meaningful context. Dive into this beautiful pop ballad and discover how music can make learning a new language an emotional and rewarding journey.

[English]

We've been wasting so much time, I give up now.

If you want to be a ninja, you gotta endure sometimes.

Things have gotten so embarrassing.

I just can’t handle you.

Don't keep talking nonsense—enough already.

When happiness turns white.

Stop singing love songs.

Don’t let the chorus ramble on.

Once again, let me beg for mercy.

I really want to shrink just right.

Shrink back into a single cell.

Without a brain, without worries.

Just sleep well.

Hold someone tight, let that hug be enough.

Pop all the bubbles.

It’s okay if you forget—being happy is what matters.

Good deeds always get rewarded.

The last straw that broke the camel’s back.

I don't want to be too weak, still insisting.

Like a nine-lived cat killed softly with kindness.

My soul's leaving my body—headless and clueless, maybe that's best.

Mocking myself, finding my own way out, freeing myself.

Don’t bother or harass anymore.

Thanks for refusing insincerity.

I really want to shrink just right.

Shrink back into a single cell.

Without a brain, without worries.

Sleep well.

Hold someone tight, let that hug be enough.

Pop all the bubbles.

It’s okay if you forget—being happy is what matters.

Good deeds always get rewarded.

Shrink back into a single cell.

Without a brain, without worries.

Sleep well.

Pop all the bubbles.

It’s okay if you forget—being happy is what matters.

Good deeds always get rewarded.

End

...

[Chinese]

都耗了这么久了 我就认了

要当忍者 就要忍着

都搞到这么糗了

拿你没辄

别再鬼扯 有的没的 够了

当快乐 变白了

别再唱情歌

别让副歌 再饶舌

再一次让我求饶

好想缩好小 刚刚好

缩回单细胞

没大脑 没烦恼

好好睡个好觉

好好抱一抱 让抱抱

爆破了泡泡

你忘了也好 开心就好

好心有好报

被骆驼压死了的一根稻草

不想太孬 还在硬拗

被温柔杀死了的九命怪猫

灵魂出窍 没头没脑 最好

我自嘲 我自找 我自我解套

别 再打扰 再骚扰

谢谢你非诚勿扰

好想缩好小 刚刚好

缩回单细胞

没大脑 没烦恼

好好睡个好觉

好好抱一抱 让抱抱

爆破了泡泡

你忘了也好 开心就好

好心 有好报

缩回单细胞

没大脑 没烦恼

好好睡个好觉

爆破了泡泡

你忘了也好 开心就好

好心 有好报

End

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
耗 (hào) /haʊ/ B2	verb - to consume; to expend; to waste
认 (rèn) /rən/ A2	verb - to recognize; to admit
忍者 (rěnzhě) /rənˈdʒɜ/ B1	noun - ninja
忍 (rěn) /rən/ B1	verb - to endure; to tolerate
糗 (qiǔ) /t͡ɕʰiou̯/ B2	adjective - embarrassing; shameful
鬼扯 (guǐchě) /kweɪ tʃʰɛ/ B2	verb - to talk nonsense; to bullshit
快乐 (kuàilè) /kʰwaɪlə/ A1	adjective - happy; joyful
情歌 (qínggē) /t͡ɕʰɪŋ kɤ/ B1	noun - love song
求饶 (qiúráo) /t͡ɕʰiou̯ ɻɑʊ/ B2	verb - to beg for mercy; to plead for forgiveness
缩 (suō) /swɔ/ B1	verb - to shrink; to contract
单细胞 (dān xìbāo) /tan ɕi paʊ/ C1	noun - unicellular; single-celled
大脑 (dànǎo) /da naʊ/ A2	noun - brain
烦恼 (fánnǎo) /fan nɑʊ/ B1	noun - worries; troubles adjective - annoying; troublesome
睡 (shuì) /ʂweɪ/ A1	verb - to sleep
抱 (bào) /paʊ/ A2	verb - to hug; to embrace
爆破 (bàopò) /paʊ pʰwo/ B2	verb - to explode; to burst
泡泡 (pàopao) /pʰaʊ paʊ/ A2	noun - bubble
骆驼 (luòtuo) /lwo tʰwo/ B1	noun - camel
稻草 (dàocǎo) /taʊ tsʰɑʊ/ B2	noun - straw
温柔 (wēnróu) /wən ʐoʊ/ B1	adjective - gentle; tender
灵魂 (línghún) /lɪŋ xwən/ B2	noun - soul; spirit

Key Grammar Structures

• 都耗了这么久了

  ➔ Use of 了 (le) to indicate completed action or change of state.

  ➔ 了 indicates that the action '耗' (to consume) has been completed or that a change has occurred.

• 要当忍者

  ➔ Use of 要 (yào) to express 'want to' or intention to do something.

  ➔ 要 (yào) means 'to want' or 'to intend,' indicating a future action or desire.

• 別再鬼扯 有的沒的

  ➔ Use of 別再 (bié zài) + verb to suggest stopping doing something.

  ➔ 別再 (bié zài) is used to tell someone to stop doing the action indicated by the verb that follows.

• 沒大腦 沒烦恼

  ➔ Use of 没 (méi) to indicate absence or lack of something.

  ➔ 没 is used to negate the presence of a quality; here, indicating lacking '大腦' (brain) or '烦恼' (worries).

• 爆破了泡泡

  ➔ Use of 了 (le) after 动词 to indicate a completed action.

  ➔ 了 indicates that the action of '爆破' (bursting) of the bubbles has been completed.

• 你忘了也好 开心就好

  ➔ Use of 也 (yě) to express 'also' or 'as well' in a concessive sense.

  ➔ 也 indicates that the statement is acceptable or permissible, even if in this case, forgetting is considered fine.