渡我不渡她 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 花僮

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a poignant linguistic journey with '渡我不渡她' (Dù Wǒ Bù Dù Tā). This heartfelt Mandopop ballad, rich in poetic imagery and traditional Chinese storytelling, offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of love, loss, and spiritual yearning. Through its expressive lyrics, learners can delve into nuanced emotional vocabulary and cultural concepts related to fate and devotion, making it a powerful and moving way to connect with the Chinese language.

[English]

In my past lives I planted, what keeps growing is longing.

Little monk, have you turned back? The chanting voice has grown hoarse.

In this temple she is no longer present; Bodhi does not guide her.

A few sutra scrolls are hard to preserve, the courtyard overrun with wilted flowers.

You left this home; love and hate have nowhere to fall.

Can you still look back? See your smiling cheeks.

How could I shed my robe to give you a home?

Why do you save me but not her?

The wind keeps blowing, scattering someone's youth.

He let his hair grow long and put away the wooden fish.

Under the Bodhi she is gone, another few summers pass.

Are your eyes still red? She's already gone.

The morning bell strikes a few more times, not ferrying the fleeting worldly blooms.

I bow my head and smile, never to see your long hair again.

I laugh and ask the Buddha, why does he ferry countless families?

Why do you save me but not her?

The wind keeps blowing, scattering someone's youth.

He let his hair grow long and put away the wooden fish.

Under the Bodhi she is gone, another few summers pass.

Are your eyes still red? She's already gone.

The morning bell strikes a few more times, not ferrying the fleeting worldly blooms.

I bow my head and smile, never to see your long hair again.

I laugh and ask the Buddha, why does he ferry countless families?

Why do you save me but not her?

Under this Bodhi there is no him.

In this mortal world, can you still hear?

You once ferried countless families.

May I ask why?

You save me, not her.

You ferry me, not her.

...

[Chinese]

我前几世种下 不断的是牵挂

小僧回头了嘛 诵经声变沙哑

这寺下再无她 菩提不渡她

几卷经文难留 这满院的冥花

你离开这个家 爱恨都无处洒

还能回头了嘛 看你微笑脸颊

怎能脱下袈裟 来还你一个家

为何渡我不渡她

这风儿还在刮 乱了谁的年华

他留起了长发 收起了木鱼吧

菩提下再无她 又度过几个夏

眼睛还红嘛 她已经不在啦

晨钟再敲几下 不渡世间繁花

我也低头笑着 再不见你长发

笑问佛祖啊 渡千百万人家

为何渡我不渡她

这风儿还在刮 乱了谁的年华

他留起了长发 收起了木鱼吧

菩提下再无她 又度过几个夏

眼睛还红嘛 她已经不在啦

晨钟再敲几下 不渡世间繁花

我也低头笑着 再不见你长发

笑问佛祖啊 渡千百万人家

为何渡我不渡她

这菩提下再无他

这凡众一啊 你还能听到吗

你曾渡了千百万人家

可问为什么

渡我不渡她

你渡我不渡她

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ferry /ˈfɛri/ B2	verb - to transport people or goods across water; to help someone cross figuratively
bodhi /ˈboʊdi/ C1	noun - enlightenment; the understanding possessed by a Buddha
scripture /ˈskrɪptʃər/ B2	noun - a sacred religious text
monk /mʌŋk/ B1	noun - a man who has withdrawn from the world to live under religious vows
concern /kənˈsɜːrn/ B1	noun - a matter of interest or worry verb - to affect or involve
hoarse /hɔːrs/ B2	adjective - having a rough, harsh voice
kasaya /kəˈsaɪ.ə/ C1	noun - the robes worn by Buddhist monks
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - air in natural motion
youth /juːθ/ B1	noun - the period between childhood and adult age; young people
long hair /lɔŋ hɛər/ A1	noun - hair that is lengthy
wooden fish /ˈwʊdən fɪʃ/ C1	noun - a hollow wooden percussion instrument used in Buddhist chanting
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1	noun - the warmest season of the year
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs of sight
laugh /læf/ A1	verb - to make sounds and movements of the face that express amusement noun - the sound produced while laughing
Buddha /ˈbʊdə/ B2	noun - the enlightened one; founder of Buddhism
chant /tʃænt/ B1	verb - to sing or speak repeatedly in a rhythmic way, often for religious purposes
temple /ˈtɛmpəl/ B1	noun - a building for religious worship, especially in Buddhism or Hinduism

Key Grammar Structures

• 我前几世种下 不断的是牵挂

  ➔ Subject-Predicate Structure with Adjectival Modifier (不断的)

  ➔ This line uses a simple subject-predicate structure. "不断的是牵挂" uses "的" to transform the phrase "不断的" into an adjectival modifier describing the nature of the "牵挂" (concern/worry). Essentially, 'unending' is the type of 'concern'.

• 小僧回头了嘛 诵经声变沙哑

  ➔ Question Particle 嘛 (ma) indicating suggestion or assumption; Resultative Complement (变沙哑)

  ➔ "了嘛" at the end of the sentence softens the question, implying a suggestion or assumption rather than a direct inquiry. "变沙哑" is a resultative complement; it shows the result of the verb '变' (to become) – the voice has become hoarse.

• 这寺下再无她 菩提不渡她

  ➔ Negative Adverb 再 (zài) indicating 'no longer'; Implied Subject in second clause (菩提不渡她)

  ➔ "再无" indicates something that no longer exists. The subject of the second clause "菩提不渡她" is implied to be the Buddha or Buddhist principles, even though it is not explicitly stated.

• 你离开这个家 爱恨都无处洒

  ➔ 连动结构 (lián dòng jié gòu) Serial Verb Construction; 都 (dōu) for inclusiveness

  ➔ This line uses a serial verb construction: "你离开这个家" acts as a clause before the next action. "爱恨都无处洒" means that both love and hatred have nowhere to be expressed. "都" emphasizes that both love and hatred are included.

• 还能回头了嘛 看你微笑脸颊

  ➔ Potential Complement (回头了) indicating possibility; Question Particle 嘛 (ma)

  ➔ "回头了" acts as a potential complement expressing whether returning is possible. "嘛" functions similar to the previous use of it, softening the inquiry and implying doubt or suggestion.

• 为何渡我不渡她

  ➔ Question word 为何 (wèihé) – 'Why'

  ➔ "为何" is a formal way to ask 'why'. It's often used in poetic or literary contexts.

• 这风儿还在刮 乱了谁的年华

  ➔ Dynamic particle 着 (zhe) indicating continuous action or state; 的 (de) possessive marker

  ➔ "还在刮" utilizes 着 (zhe), showing that the wind is continuously blowing. "谁的年华" uses 的 (de) to denote possession - whose youth.