地下街 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 周國賢

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Endy Chow's '地下街' is a perfect starting point for diving into Cantonese. The song's vivid storytelling, painting a picture of a secret romance in the bustling underground of Tokyo, makes the lyrics both engaging and memorable. Through its poetic and emotional language, you can learn about expressing feelings of love and the desire for escape, all wrapped in a classic Cantopop melody with a rock twist that makes it a truly special and enduring song.

[English]

Downtown Shinjuku, over a hundred thousand people

How come I bump into an old friend

Ask me and you why we kiss at the street corner

Heart racing feeling, suddenly sinking down

Small little love, if caught in a trap

It will end, question from the side rails

When the world’s clear, walking all the way

No need for light, maybe even better that way

Dragged heaven down to the underground, free from disturbance

The whole shopping street has sunk

Just to create a looping maze for you and me

No end in sight

Can’t find an exit, better just leave

The journey’s not over, not even at the end

In the maze, you must stay with me

Passersby, gradually returning home

If the news is on now

The story might be about a pair of lovers

Lost inside the underground city

Better not to ever go out in this lifetime

The shopping streets continue to clean

Living here long, no need for maps anymore

When tired, use the morning paper as a blanket

If hungry, grass cakes become your meal

Loving until forgetting the way back

Underground city, aging with you

...

Before the suitcase wears thin

We could stay together for ten years

Tired of noodle shops, wandering through florists, bookshops

Spreading in every direction, endless

Turning into dungeons turned amusement parks

If you want to explore, circle the Yamanote line

When the world’s clear, walking all the way

No need for light, maybe even better that way

Dragged heaven down to the underground

No more disturbances

The entire shopping street has sunk

Just to create a looping maze for you and me

No end in sight

Can’t find an exit, better just leave

The journey’s not over, not even at the end

In the maze, you must stay with me

Passersby, gradually returning home

If the news is on now

The story might continue about this couple

Months of searching, still nothing found

...

Rumors spread on Tokyo’s streets

Everyone sincerely wishes me well

While others talk about it

They say if he did it, he might not succeed

Who can show a little affection, a certain attitude

Unreservedly appealing

...

No way out, better just go

The journey’s not over, not even at the end

In the maze, you must stay with me

Passersby, gradually returning home

If the news is on now

The story might be about the truth of this couple

Living happily together

Better not to ever go out in this lifetime

The streets keep sweeping

Living here long, no need for maps anymore

When tired, use the morning paper as a blanket

If hungry, grass cakes become your meal

Loving until forgetting the way back

Underground city, aging with you

...

[Chinese]

新宿街頭 十餘萬人

怎麼竟然 撞回熟人

問我共你 何解於街角擁吻

私奔心情 突然下沉

小小戀情 若然被擒

就會結束 欄途被責問

當世界明路 行盡了

毋須見光 也許更美妙

拖了天國 下來地底 不再受騷擾

整個商店街 沉沒了

無非要給你跟我製造 環迴迷路

沒完沒了

沒有 找到出口 出去也好

終點一世也未到

迷宮之中 你必須跟我好

途人們 相繼地回家

如果正在播 新聞報導

題目會是 發現一對男女

地底街裡失蹤

一生都不出去也好

一街商店繼續掃

長居於此 何用再找地圖

疲勞時早報做被鋪

如果肚餓了 草餅當飯

相愛到 忘了歸途

地底街 跟你終老

手拖喼還未磨蝕前

總可一齊滯留十年

坐厭麵店 行一圈花店 書店

東北西南蔓延沒完

都開僻成地牢樂園

若要探險 巡迴山手線

當世界明路 行盡了

毋須見光 也許更美妙

拖了天國 下來地底

不再受騷擾

整個商店街 沉沒了

無非要給你跟我製造

環迴迷路 沒完沒了

沒有 找到出口 出去也好

終點一世也未到

迷宮之中 你必須跟我好

途人們 相繼地回家

如果正在播 新聞報導

題目繼續會是 這對男女

數個月來 搜索不到

東京街角的傳聞 在散佈

都衷心祝我好

別人在談論時

會說 換了他做 未必做到

誰能為 一點愛慕 一種態度

不顧一切的 來上訴

沒有 找到出口 出去也好

終點一世也未到

迷宮之中 你必須跟我好

途人們 相繼地回家

如果正在播 新聞報導

題目會是 証實這對男女

活得一切安好

一生都不出去也好

一街商店繼續掃

長居於此 何用再找地圖

疲勞時早報做被鋪

如果肚餓了 草餅當飯

相愛到 忘了歸途

地底街 跟你終老

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
街 /dʒje/ A1	noun - street
人 /ʐən/ A1	noun - person; people
吻 /wən/ B2	noun - kiss verb - to kiss
心情 /sīn t͡ɕʰǐŋ/ B1	noun - mood; feeling
戀情 /ljên t͡ɕʰiŋ/ B2	noun - romance; love affair
結束 /t͡ɕjě ʂû/ B1	verb - to end; to finish noun - end; finish
世界 /ʂɨ̂ t͡ɕjiê/ A1	noun - world
明 /mɪŋ/ A2	adjective - bright; clear
美妙 /měi miào/ B2	adjective - wonderful; beautiful
天國 /tʰi̯ɛn ku̯ɔ/ B2	noun - heaven; paradise
地底 /ti ti/ B1	noun - underground
商店 /ʂɑŋ ti̯ɛn/ A2	noun - shop; store
沉沒 /t͡ʃʰə̌n mô/ B2	verb - to sink; to submerge
迷路 /mi lu/ B1	verb - to lose one's way
出口 /t͡ʃʰu kʰòʊ/ A2	noun - exit
終點 /ʈ͡ʂʊŋ tɪ̯ɛn/ B1	noun - end point; destination
迷宮 /mí ㄍㄨㄥ/ B2	noun - labyrinth; maze

Key Grammar Structures

• 怎麼竟然 撞回熟人

  ➔ How is it possible that...

  ➔ '怎麼' is used to ask 'how' or 'in what way'.

• 就會結束 欄途被責問

  ➔ It will result in...

  ➔ '就會' indicates a future consequence or result ('will').

• 當世界明路 行盡了

  ➔ When the world is clear (lit. bright), then...

  ➔ '當' indicates a condition or time when something happens ('when').

• 無非要給你跟我製造 環迴迷路

  ➔ Nothing but to create for you and me a perpetual maze.

  ➔ '無非' means 'nothing but' or 'simply'.

• 如果肚餓了 草餅當飯

  ➔ If I get hungry, (I'll) eat grass cakes as rice.

  ➔ '如果' is used to express 'if' or 'in case'.

• 一世也未到

  ➔ Even a lifetime hasn't arrived (ended).

  ➔ '也未到' means 'has not yet arrived or ended'.