浮床 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: Dear Jane

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful and emotive experience, and Dear Jane's “浮床” is a perfect gateway to the nuances of Cantonese. The song's heartfelt lyrics about finding strength in a partner through difficult times offer a glimpse into contemporary Cantonese expressions of love and resilience. The poetic yet accessible language, combined with a moving melody, makes it a special song for learners to connect with the emotional depth of the language.

[English]

Thank you for accompanying me through these anxious drifting years

In the midst of the tsunami, finding a safe harbor

So tired and seeking rest, you come to lie with me

Amidst the storms, I'm still lucky to have you by my side

No matter the towering waves around us

There's no way to hold on until the other shore

Still grateful to swim up to the warm big bed every night

Even if today has brought despair

If we can share the bed at night, watching the sky

Waking up early, the sky is still bright

Daylight comes, once again sailing through the waves in search of hope

Soaked to the skin, our body heat drying each other

At night, if afraid of the dark, I will come to lie with you

Embracing each other, in the cold moonlight it still doesn't feel cold

No matter the towering waves around us

There's no way to hold on until the other shore

Still grateful to swim up to the warm big bed every night

Even if today has brought despair

If we can share the bed at night, watching the sky

Waking up early, feeling strong like a newborn

Gazing at you resting in my arms

No matter the storms by the bed, I quickly forget

Surfers can temporarily come ashore

No matter the countless waves in the world

At this moment, there is no more turmoil

Let's talk about tomorrow's pain later, just stay in bed with me

Even if today has brought despair

If we can share the bed at night, watching the sky

Waking up early, feeling strong like a newborn

A little glimmer of dawn, once again chasing it relentlessly

...

[Chinese]

多謝你 伴我惶恐歲月中漂盪

海嘯間 找安身不凍港

太倦求歇息 你便來陪我躺

風波內猶幸你仍然在我旁

任四周千百呎巨浪

沒法子撐到對面岸

仍感激可以每夜 游上温暖大牀

就算今天已告絕望

在晚間倘能同牀 觀穹蒼

清早乍醒 仍會天色清朗

天亮了 又再乘風破浪找希望

濕透身 彼此體温烘乾

晚上如怕黑 我便來陪你躺

相擁着 寒月裏仍然未算寒

任四周千百呎巨浪

沒法子撐到對面岸

仍感激可以每夜 游上温暖大牀

就算今天已告絕望

在晚間倘能同牀 觀穹蒼

清早乍醒 又似初生堅壯

凝視你在我的臂彎安躺

牀邊不管是幾多風浪 驟已渾忘

衝浪客 可暫時登岸

任世間千百個巨浪

在這刻不再有動盪

明天的苦再説吧 陪我不要下牀

就算今天已告絕望

在晚間倘能同牀 觀穹蒼

清早乍醒 又似初生堅壯

小小曙光 又再苦追不放

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
漂盪 /piāodàng/ B2	verb - to drift or float; to be adrift
海嘯 /hǎixiào/ C1	noun - tsunami, large ocean wave
安身 /ānshēn/ B2	verb/noun - to settle down; a place of safety
索 /suǒ/ B1	noun/verb - rope, cord; to search
倦 /juàn/ B2	adjective - tired, weary
歇息 /xiūxī/ B2	verb - to rest, to take a break
躺 /tǎng/ A2	verb - to lie down
風波 /fēngbō/ C1	noun - storm, upheaval, turbulent situation
幸 /xìng/ B2	adjective - fortunate, lucky
感激 /gǎnjī/ B2	verb - to be grateful, to appreciate
望 /wàng/ B2	verb/noun - to hope, to wish; hope, expectation
溫暖 /wēnnuǎn/ B2	adjective - warm, cozy
温**潮** /wēncháo/ C2	noun - tide, current in the ocean

Key Grammar Structures

• 多謝你 伴我惶恐歲月中漂盪

  ➔ Use of prepositional phrase (歲月中) as an adverbial modifier.

  ➔ The phrase "歲月中" (in the years/months) acts as an adverbial modifier, indicating the time frame in which the drifting (漂盪) occurred. "伴我" (accompany me) also shows the action taken towards the speaker.

• 太倦求歇息 你便來陪我躺

  ➔ Use of "便" (biàn) to indicate immediacy or consequence after a condition is met.

  ➔ The word "便" emphasizes the direct consequence: because of being tired (太倦), one seeks rest (求歇息), and *immediately* or *as a result*, you come to lie down with me (你便來陪我躺).

• 風波內猶幸你仍然在我旁

  ➔ Use of "猶幸" (yóuxìng) - Fortunately, Luckily. This is a more formal expression.

  ➔ "猶幸" indicates a feeling of good fortune amidst a difficult situation (風波內).

• 就算今天已告絕望

  ➔ Use of "就算" (jiùsuàn) - Even if, even though. Introducing a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact clause.

  ➔ "就算" sets up a condition that is contrary to desired outcomes - even if today is hopeless, something positive can still happen.

• 在晚間倘能同牀 觀穹蒼

  ➔ Use of "倘能" (tǎngnéng) - If able to, provided that, indicating a condition.

  ➔ "倘能" introduces the condition for being able to observe the starry sky (觀穹蒼) together.

• 相擁着 寒月裏仍然未算寒

  ➔ Use of "未算" (wèisuàn) - Not considered as, not counted as, to express a negation of a certain quality.

  ➔ Even in the cold moonlit night (寒月裏), being embraced makes it not considered cold (未算寒). "未算" downplays the feeling of cold.

• 衝浪客 可暫時登岸

  ➔ Use of "可" (kě) to indicate possibility or permission.

  ➔ "可" indicates that it is *possible* for the surfer to temporarily go ashore.

• 就算今天已告絕望 在晚間倘能同牀 觀穹蒼 清早乍醒 又似初生堅壯

  ➔ Parallel structure used for emphasis and creating a sense of rhythm. This includes the conditional clause "就算...倘能...又似..."

  ➔ This long sentence shows the use of parallel structure where phrases with similar grammatical structure (and often similar length) are arranged together for a more artistic effect and to emphasize the contrast between despair and renewed strength.