孤獨美食家 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 魏浚笙

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the beautiful and emotive world of Cantopop through Jeffrey Ngai's 'The Solitary Gourmet.' This song offers a great opportunity to learn Cantonese vocabulary related to food and emotions, all wrapped in a moving jazz-influenced melody. Its relatable story of love and loss makes it a compelling piece for any language learner wanting to connect with the heart of Hong Kong's music scene.

[English]

Putting on a silky morning coat

Carefully tasting precious red wine

First eating caviar, goose liver comes later

If you're still at the table, you'll always pour me wine

Peel my shrimp shell, dip it in soy sauce 'til it's soaked

Let me eat with such care

Talking about love, I'm duller than before

A fancy banquet at night, a fork, a bowl of soup, just one person

Even if the wine’s open, one pours, one drinks

I'm all alone

Celebrating my heartbreak

If that day, I hadn’t ignored you when facing you

Probably this menu is still for two

And right now, all I have is regret

Years spent alone, one glass, one plate, just one person

No one in front of me

A spoonful of ice cream, how do I share it with the shadow?

So, everyone watching, beware

If someone gives you dessert

Remember to hold on tight

Just bought some Ise lobster

Goes perfectly with Matsusaka beef steak

Chewing silently, no need to speak

If no one asks me, “Is it delicious, darling?”

A table full of good food, melts away in my stomach like ash

Couples’ dinner sets are so terrifying

Don’t make me cry, okay?

A fancy banquet at night, a fork, a bowl of soup, just one person

Even if the wine’s open, one pours, one drinks

I'm all alone

Celebrating my heartbreak

If that day, I hadn’t ignored you when facing you

All the beautiful moments we met are for two

And right now, all I have is regret

Years spent alone, one glass, one plate, just one person

No one in front of me

A spoonful of ice cream, how do I share it with the shadow?

From now on, no more drinks for sweetness, even if I wish to share, it’s sealed away

Desserts, I’ve given them up for you, all to bear witness

A fork (a bowl), one person (just one person)

Even with a bone stuck, no one’s there... (Ignoring me is part of it)

...Coming closer (approaching)

Now you've already been reborn (Food can make us feel sensitive)

(Just hope for me) Just hope I

Can be with you in the next life... (See you again)

...Kiss again (another kiss)

Reborn, kiss again (another promise, another kiss)

[Chinese]

穿上蠶絲製晨褸

仔細嚐珍貴紅酒

先吃魚子醬 鵝肝押後

如若你還於桌邊 總會斟我酒

幫我剝了蝦殼 用醬油 沾透

任我吃得 多講究

講到戀愛 鈍過頭

豪門夜宴 一隻叉 一隻羹 一個人

就算 開了酒 一個斟 一個飲

得我一個人

慶祝 我的 薄倖

如若當日 對著你 我沒有 冷落你

大概這菜單 仍是二人份

而我這刻 唯有恨

長年獨對 一隻杯 一隻碟 一個人

面前 並沒 有人

一勺冰淇淋 如何和影對分

所以 觀眾們 都要留心

如果有人 給你甜品

記得 抱緊

剛買來伊勢龍蝦

很配松阪那牛扒

咀嚼時咀嚼 無需 說話

如沒有人 跟我講 寶貝好吃嗎

一桌好菜 倒進胃裏如 火化

情侶套餐 很可怕

不要迫我哭 好嗎

豪門夜宴 一隻叉 一隻羹 一個人

就算 開了酒 一個斟 一個飲

得我一個人

慶祝 我的 薄倖

如若當日 對著你 我沒有 冷落你

遇見的美好 全是二人份

而我這刻 唯有恨

長年獨對 一隻杯 一隻碟 一個人

面前 並沒 有人

一勺冰淇淋 如何和影對分

以後 吟釀美酒 無伴對飲 情願已封麈

甜食 也為你 戒掉了 各位做証人

一隻叉 （一隻羮） 一個人 （一個人）

鯁了骨仍 沒有人⋯ （無視我亦算應份)

⋯走近 （走近）

現在你 經已再生 （食物會 帶動敏感）

（只盼我）只盼我

共你 下一生⋯ （可再見）

⋯再吻 （再吻）

往生 再吻 （再約 再吻)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
蠶絲 /tàn sī/ B2	noun - silk produced by silkworms
珍貴 /zhēn guì/ B2	adjective - precious, valuable
紅酒 /hóng jiǔ/ A2	noun - red wine
魚子醬 /yú zǐ jiàng/ B2	noun - caviar
鵝肝 /é gān/ B2	noun - foie gras
斟 /zhēn/ B1	verb - to pour drinks
剝 /bō/ B1	verb - to peel, to shell
恨 /hèn/ B2	noun - hatred, resentment
獨對 /dú duì/ B2	verb - to face alone
恬淡 /tián dàn/ C1	adjective - serene, calm and indifferent
封麈 /fēng zhǔ/ C2	noun - exile, banishment (literary/poetic term)
冰淇淋 /bīng qí lín/ A2	noun - ice cream
冰淇淋 /bīng qí lín/ A2	noun - ice cream

Key Grammar Structures

• 如若你還於桌邊 總會斟我酒

  ➔ 如若 / 如 if

  ➔ The phrase **如若** introduces a conditional clause meaning **'if'** or **'as if'**.

• 長年獨對 一隻杯 一隻碟 一個人

  ➔ 長年 / 長期 / for many years

  ➔ The phrase **長年** indicates **'for many years'** or **'long-term'**.

• 用醬油 沾透

  ➔ 用 / use / to use

  ➔ The verb **用** means **'to use'**, here indicating the action of **using soy sauce**.

• 如果有人 給你甜品

  ➔ 如果 / if / in case

  ➔ The word **如果** introduces a conditional clause meaning **'if'** or **'in case'**.

• 一桌好菜 倒進胃裏如 火化

  ➔ 倒進 / pour into / to pour into

  ➔ The verb **倒進** means **'to pour into'**, describing the action of pouring food into the stomach.

• 再吻 / 再吻

  ➔ 再 / again / furthermore

  ➔ **再** is used to indicate repetition or doing something again, as in **'再吻'** meaning **'kiss again'**.