Lyrics & Translation
Dive into the heartfelt ballad "對摺" by Richie Jen, a quintessential Mandopop song that offers a deep emotional journey. Through its poignant lyrics and Richie Jen's tender vocals, you can explore expressions of love, longing, and remembrance in Mandarin. The song's use of the 'folding' metaphor provides a unique cultural and linguistic insight into how memories and emotions are cherished, making it a special piece for language learners to connect with the nuances of Chinese lyrical poetry and sentiment.
Your favorite sky blue, refracted by the sun
On the bridge's sides, we gaze at each other from afar
At the moment time stands still
Congratulations, pitiful, hateful, adorable—none of it matters anymore
I fold myself gently, and I fold you as well
This life was borrowed from you; future life, I promised it to you
The more I remember, the harder it is to let go; love, regret, pain—I don't understand
Heart like a knife, only pain teaches
What still bites, tightly held by memories
The eighth color of the rainbow is black of night
My heart's still flesh; your kiss is still warm
You're asleep, and I'm still awake
Bitter, astringent, sweet, sour—nostalgia we can't return to
I fold myself gently, and I fold you as well
This life was borrowed from you; future life, I promised it to you
The more I remember, the harder it is to let go; love, regret, pain—I don't understand
Heart like a knife, only pain teaches
Fold again, and gently fold the dream
I’ve packed up all the memories; tears will eventually dry
A thousand paper cranes fly away along the Milky Way
Joy and sorrow can no longer split us, can't undo our love—don’t divide me
I fold myself gently, and I fold you as well
This life was borrowed from you; future life, I promised it to you
The more I remember, the harder it is to let go; love, regret, pain—I don't understand
Heart like a knife, only pain teaches
Fold again, and gently fold the dream
I've collected all the memories; tears slowly dry
A thousand paper cranes fly away
Along the Milky Way, joy and sorrow can no longer separate us
The more I can't let go, the more reluctant I am to part
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
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清澈 (qīngchè) /t͡ɕʰiŋ t͡ʂʰɤ/ B2 |
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淚水 (lèishuǐ) /leɪ ʂweɪ/ A2 |
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折射 (zhéshè) /t͡ʂɤ ʂɤ/ B2 |
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遙遙 (yáoyáo) /jɑʊ jɑʊ/ B2 |
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靜止 (jìngzhǐ) /t͡ɕiŋ ʈ͡ʂɨ/ B1 |
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可喜可賀 (kěxǐ kěhè) /kʰɤ ɕi kʰɤ hɤ/ C1 |
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可憐 (kělián) /kʰɤ li̯ɛn/ B1 |
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可恨 (kěhèn) /kʰɤ xɤn/ B2 |
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可愛 (kě'ài) /kʰɤ aɪ/ A2 |
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可惜 (kěxī) /kʰɤ ɕi/ B1 |
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對摺 (duìzhé) /tweɪ ʈ͡ʂɤ/ B1 |
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來生 (láishēng) /laɪ ʂɤŋ/ B2 |
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不捨 (bùshě) /pu ʂɤ/ B2 |
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刀割 (dāogē) /taʊ kɤ/ B2 |
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心如刀割 (xīnrúdāogē) /ɕin ʐu taʊ kɤ/ C1 |
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彩虹 (cǎihóng) /tsʰaɪ xʊŋ/ A2 |
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懷念 (huáiniàn) /xwaɪ ni̯ɛn/ B1 |
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回憶 (huíyì) /xweɪ i/ B1 |
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銀河 (yínhé) /in xɤ/ B2 |
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悲歡 (bēihuān) /peɪ xwan/ B2 |
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分割 (fēngē) /fəŋ kɤ/ B2 |
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“清澈 (qīngchè), 淚水 (lèishuǐ), 折射 (zhéshè)” – got them all figured out?
⚡ Dive into vocabulary challenges in the app and lock in your knowledge right after jamming to "對摺"
Key Grammar Structures
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天空的清澈 雨用淚水洗過了
➔ Resultative Verb Complement (過了)
➔ The grammar point is the Resultative Verb Complement “過了”. “洗過了” indicates that the action of washing (洗) is completed with a result, which is the sky being washed clean. 過了 indicates the completion of action and/or a past experience.
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可喜可賀 可憐可恨可愛的 可惜都不可能了
➔ Parallel Structure with Adjectives
➔ This line uses a series of adjectives in parallel structure to emphasize the complex and contradictory emotions. All adjectives modify an implied noun (e.g., situation, feeling). The use of 可 + verb makes it an adjective with the meaning of "worth doing" or "deserving of".
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我把我對摺 輕輕把你也對摺
➔ BA Structure (把)
➔ The BA structure (把) is used to emphasize the object that is acted upon. It moves the object before the verb. The structure is Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Other elements.
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今生是你借我的 來生是我答應你的
➔ Implied Subject/Ellipsis and Parallel Structure
➔ The subject (e.g., fate, love) is implied in both clauses and elided for conciseness. The sentence utilizes a parallel structure, emphasizing the relationship between this life and the next. Both parts of the sentence follow the same structure: [Implied Subject] + is + Subject + Verb + Object.
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越記得 越不捨 我不懂的 愛得恨得痛得
➔ "越…越…" structure and Verb + 得 + Complement of state
➔ "越…越…" means "the more… the more…", expressing that the level of one thing increases with the increase of another. "愛得恨得痛得" uses "得" to describe the degree or result of the verb, for instance, how he loves, how he hates, and how he feels the pain.
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心如刀割 痛過就懂了
➔ Simile (心如刀割) and Conditional "就"
➔ "心如刀割" is a simile, meaning "the heart feels like it's being cut by knives." It illustrates intense emotional pain. "痛過就懂了" uses "就" to indicate a consequence that immediately follows after the condition is met (experiencing the pain).
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沿著銀河 悲歡再不能把你跟我離合 別把我分割
➔ Negative potential complement (不能) and Imperative with negative (別)
➔ "不能" indicates impossibility, that the joys and sorrows can no longer separate them. "別把我分割" is a negative imperative, meaning "Don't separate me."
