煉金術 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 楊千嬅

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt world of Cantopop with Miriam Yeung's "煉金術" (Alchemy)! This beautiful song offers a unique opportunity to experience rich Cantonese lyrics and their poetic depth. You'll learn how the language can convey profound emotions like enduring love and patience through a captivating metaphor. Its elegant phrasing and the emotional delivery make it a special piece for understanding the nuances of Cantonese expression.

[English]

Give me a single blaze, test my soul

Prove how deeply I have loved

Not expecting much, just to have had

A throne beside you

Send a flood to calm me down

Tears have gathered into a river

Exhausted and shouting, please like me

I’ve done everything, can’t I move you?

Turns out I’m temporarily not meant to be with you

Next year will be a better match

One day, a stubborn stone turns to gold, I can wait

What makes two people blend together?

Hope sincerity can attract

Melt you with fifty years of love

Achieve a golden kiss

...

Not passionate enough, just patience

Facing your coldness and indifference

Even silence can be a skill

I will always stay quiet

Trust that loyalty will eventually win

That stubbornness will finally be respected

Like alchemy, waiting for you to change

Unless lost your humanity, how could you always be frozen?

Turns out I’m temporarily not meant to be with you

Next year will be a better match

One day, a stubborn stone turns to gold, I can wait

What makes two people blend together?

Hope sincerity can attract

Melt you with fifty years of love

Achieve a golden kiss

Now with white hair, still waiting

Lovers rendezvous at dusk

Turns out I’m temporarily not meant to be with you

Next year will be a better match

No matter how hard or painful, I’ll endure

Ten years of love, still not afraid to wait

Even if days pass like years, still excited

If in the end I can melt you

Why rush and shake with hands

[Ending]

...

[Chinese]

給我一團熊火 試煉我

證明我這麼狠狠愛過

期望不多 只要得到過

你身旁 那寶座

給我一場洪水 冷靜我

眼淚太多已匯聚成河

力竭聲嘶請你喜歡我

什麼事都做過 都不能感動你麼

原來暫時共你沒緣份

來年先會變得更合襯

頑石哪天變黃金 我可以等

融和二人是哪樣成份

但願虔誠能顯得吸引

用五十年溶化你

成就 金禧一吻

不夠激情仍可靠耐性

對付你的冷酷及無情

沉默假使都算種本領

我一定 最安靜

深信忠誠遲早會獲勝

那份固執終於都會被尊敬

如煉金般等你先轉性

除非遺失人性 怎可能一直結冰

原來暫時共你沒緣份

來年先會變得更合襯

頑石哪天變黃金 我可以等

融和二人是哪樣成份

但願虔誠能顯得吸引

用五十年溶化你

成就 金禧一吻

頭白了 還在等

情人預約在黃昏

原來暫時共你沒緣份

來年先會變得更合襯

期待再苦再難堪 我都會忍

談情十年未晚不怕等

渡日如年仍覺得興奮

若最後能溶化你

何用 心急手震

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
試煉 (shìliàn) /ˈʃiːliɛn/ B2	verb - to test, to try; ordeal, trial
愛 (ài) /aɪ/ A1	verb - to love noun - love
寶座 (bǎozuò) /ˈbɑʊˌtswɔ/ B2	noun - throne
洪水 (hóngshuǐ) /ˈhʊŋʃweɪ/ B1	noun - flood
眼淚 (yǎnlèi) /ˈjɛnˌleɪ/ A2	noun - tears
匯聚 (huìjù) /ˈxweɪdʒy/ B2	verb - to converge, to gather
喜歡 (xǐhuan) /ˈʃihuɑn/ A1	verb - to like
感動 (gǎndòng) /ˈgændʊŋ/ B1	verb - to move (to tears), to touch (emotionally)
緣份 (yuánfèn) /ˈjuɛnfən/ B2	noun - fate, destiny
頑石 (wánshí) /wæn ʃɪ/ B2	noun - stubborn rock
黃金 (huángjīn) /ˈxwɑŋdʒɪn/ A2	noun - gold
融和 (rónghé) /ˈrʊŋxɤ/ B2	verb - to harmonize, to blend
虔誠 (qiánchéng) /tʃʰjɛn tʃʰɤŋ/ C1	adjective - pious, devout
吸引 (xīyǐn) /ˈʃiːɪn/ B1	verb - to attract
激情 (jīqíng) /ˈdʒitʃʰɪŋ/ B2	noun - passion
耐性 (nàixìng) /ˈnaɪʃɪŋ/ B2	noun - patience, tolerance
冷酷 (lěngkù) /lʌŋ kʰu/ B2	adjective - cold-blooded, ruthless
無情 (wúqíng) /wu tʃɪŋ/ B1	adjective - heartless, merciless
本領 (běnlǐng) /ˈbɛnˌlɪŋ/ B2	noun - skill, ability
沉默 (chénmò) /ˈtʃʰʌnmɔ/ B1	adjective - silent, taciturn verb - to be silent
忠誠 (zhōngchéng) /ˈdʒʊŋtʃʰɤŋ/ B2	noun - loyalty, devotion
獲勝 (huòshèng) /xwɔ ʃʌŋ/ B2	verb - to win, to triumph
固執 (gùzhí) /gu ʒɪ/ B2	adjective - stubborn, persistent noun - persistence, insistence
尊敬 (zūnjìng) /ˈdzʊndʒɪŋ/ B1	verb - to respect
遺失 (yíshī) /i ʃɪ/ B2	verb - to lose, to mislay
人性 (rénxìng) /rʌn ʃɪŋ/ B2	noun - human nature
結冰 (jiébīng) /dʒje bɪŋ/ B1	verb - to freeze
期待 (qīdài) /tʃʰi daɪ/ B1	verb - to expect, to anticipate noun - expectation, anticipation
情人 (qíngrén) /tʃʰɪŋ rʌn/ A2	noun - lover
預約 (yùyuē) /jy yɛ/ B1	verb - to make an appointment, to reserve
黃昏 (huánghūn) /xwɑŋ xun/ A2	noun - dusk, evening
難堪 (nánkān) /ˈnɑnkɑn/ B2	adjective - embarrassing, awkward
溶化 (rónghuà) /rʊŋ xwɑ/ B1	verb - to melt
心急 (xīnjí) /ˈʃɪndʒi/ B1	adjective - impatient, anxious

Key Grammar Structures

• 給我一團熊火 試煉我

  ➔ Imperative sentence using 給我 (give me)

  ➔ This is an imperative form requesting to 'give me' something, indicating a command or strong request.

• 證明我這麼狠狠愛過

  ➔ Using 這麼 (so) + adjective/adverb to intensify

  ➔ The word 這麼 means 'so' and is used to intensify the following adjective or adverb.

• 如煉金般等你先轉性

  ➔ Comparison using 如...般 (like/as...) to illustrate similarity

  ➔ The phrase 如煉金般 means 'like alchemy,' comparing the transformation process to a change in someone.

• 期待再苦再難堪 我都會忍

  ➔ Using 再...也... to express 'no matter how...' or 'even if...'

  ➔ The structure 再...也... indicates 'no matter how difficult or painful,' emphasizing perseverance.

• 頭白了 還在等

  ➔ Using 了 to indicate a change of state or completion

  ➔ The particle 了 indicates that something has changed or been completed, here referring to aging and persistence.

• 渡日如年仍覺得興奮

  ➔ Using 如...般 (like/as...) for comparison, emphasizing duration

  ➔ The phrase 渡日如年 compares the passage of days to years, emphasizing how time feels very long.