Going Off 了 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 張哲瀚 Zhehan Zhang

Lyrics & Translation

“Going Off 了” offers a unique opportunity to explore the nuances of the Chinese language through music. The double meaning of the character “了” (le/liǎo) in the title provides a fascinating glimpse into how a single word can convey different layers of meaning related to finality and acceptance. This song is special not only for its emotional depth but also for its clever use of language, making it a great tool for learners to appreciate the subtlety of Mandarin Chinese.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fake /feɪk/ B2	verb - to produce a copy or imitation of something with the intent to deceive adjective - not genuine; counterfeit.
hide /haɪd/ A2	verb - to put something or someone in a place where they cannot be easily seen or found.
stand /stænd/ A2	verb - to be on one's feet verb - to tolerate or endure
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection or romantic attachment for
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - to be deprived of something
count /kaʊnt/ A1	verb - determine the total number of (a set of things).
enough /ɪˈnʌf/ A2	adjective - as much or as many as necessary
storm /stɔːrm/ B1	noun - a violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
wrong /rɔːŋ/ A2	adjective - not correct or true; incorrect.
voice /vɔɪs/ A2	noun - the sound produced in a person's larynx and uttered through the mouth, as speech or song.
brain /breɪn/ A2	noun - an organ of soft nervous tissue contained in the skull of vertebrates, functioning as the coordinating center of sensation and intellectual and nervous activity.
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury.
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain.
slide /slaɪd/ B1	noun - an act of sliding. verb - move along a surface while maintaining continuous contact with it.
vein /veɪn/ B1	noun - any of the tubes forming part of the blood circulation system of the body, carrying in most cases oxygen-depleted blood toward the heart.
higher /ˈhaɪər/ A2	adjective - of greater than average height
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to come down freely from an upright position

Key Grammar Structures

• if I could know how to fake

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ This uses "if + past simple, would + infinitive". It describes an unreal or hypothetical situation in the present.

• all these that don’t have a name and I know you never care

  ➔ Relative Clause with 'that'

  ➔ "that don’t have a name" modifies "all these". 'That' introduces a defining relative clause.

• each time that you passing by

  ➔ Incorrect Grammar (should be 'pass')

  ➔ The correct form is "each time that you pass by". Using "passing" requires an auxiliary verb.

• every bit of it couldn’t stand

  ➔ Modal verb of ability in the negative (couldn't)

  ➔ "Couldn't stand" indicates an inability to tolerate or endure something. "Could" in the past tense indicates past ability or possibility, here negated.

• stuck inside of me

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase + Past Participle Adjective

  ➔ "Stuck" is a past participle used as an adjective, describing the state of being trapped. "Inside of me" is a prepositional phrase specifying location.

• every slide of me is gone nowhere

  ➔ Incorrect Grammar (should be 'goes')

  ➔ The correct form is "every slide of me goes nowhere". "Is gone" would be appropriate if referring to a completed action.

• How much love would you give it up I wouldn’t know

  ➔ Embedded Question + Conditional

  ➔ "How much love would you give it up" is an embedded question. The structure "I wouldn't know" indicates the speaker's lack of knowledge about the hypothetical.

• further that we go

  ➔ Comparative Adverb 'further'

  ➔ "Further" is the comparative of "far," indicating a greater distance. This line implies as we continue.