落葉歸根 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 王力宏, Leehom Wang

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into "落葉歸根" by Wang Leehom to explore the profound cultural concept of longing for one's roots and the universal search for belonging. This emotionally rich Mandopop song offers an excellent opportunity to connect with Chinese lyrical poetry and cultural sentiments, making language learning a heartfelt journey through its poignant narrative and beautiful melodies.

[English]

Looking up at the endless gray clouds, that season is called loneliness

The backpack is filled with home essentials, and the journey begins like this

The sun's warmth is unseen during the day, the moonlight's blue is absent at night

I have to choose a cold beginning, leaving only regrets behind

The arrangement of fate follows the logic of nature

No one can unveil the mystery

Far from home, feeling a bit sentimental, transforming into an autumn night

Yet I am like a falling leaf returning to its roots, landing in your heart

A bit of melancholy, a bit of loneliness, all willingly accepted

My love is like a falling leaf returning to its roots, home is only by your side

...

Looking up at the endless gray clouds, that season is called loneliness

The backpack is filled with home essentials, and the journey begins like this

The sun's warmth is unseen during the day, the moonlight's blue is absent at night

I have to choose a cold beginning, leaving only regrets behind

The arrangement of fate follows the logic of nature

No one can unveil the mystery

Oh, far from home, feeling a bit sentimental, transforming into an autumn night

Yet I am like a falling leaf returning to its roots, landing in your heart

A bit of melancholy, a bit of loneliness, all willingly accepted

My love is like a falling leaf returning to its roots, home is only by your side

I hope to accompany you in finding back the eternity that was lost

When I speak, you remain silent, leaving only a dream

...

Yet I am like a falling leaf returning to its roots, landing in your heart

A bit of melancholy, a bit of loneliness, all willingly accepted

My love is like a falling leaf returning to its roots

Home is only by your side

...

[Chinese]

舉頭望無盡灰雲 那季節叫做寂寞

背包塞滿了家用 路就這樣開始走

日不見 太陽的暖 夜不見月光的藍

不得不選擇寒冷的開始 留下只擁有遺憾

命運的安排 遵守自然的邏輯

誰都無法揭謎底

遠離家鄉 不甚唏噓 幻化成秋夜

而我卻像 落葉歸根 墜在你心間

幾分憂鬱 幾分孤單 都心甘情願

我的愛像 落葉歸根 家 唯獨在你身邊

舉頭望無盡灰雲 那季節叫做寂寞

背包塞滿了家用 路就這樣開始走

日不見太陽的暖 夜不見月光的藍

不得不選擇寒冷的開始 留下只擁有遺憾

命運的安排 遵守自然的邏輯

誰都無法揭謎底

喔 遠離家鄉 不甚唏噓 幻化成秋夜

而我卻像 落葉歸根 墜在你心間

幾分憂鬱 幾分孤單 都心甘情願

我的愛像 落葉歸根 家唯獨在你身邊

但願陪你找回 所遺失的永恆

當我開口你卻沈默 只剩一場夢

我卻像 落葉歸根 墜在你心間

幾分憂鬱 幾分孤單 都心甘情願

我的愛像 落葉歸根

家 唯獨在你身邊

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
落葉 /lɔ̂ jɛ̂/ B1	noun - fallen leaves
歸根 /gwei gən/ B2	verb - to return to one's roots; to return to the origin
寂寞 /dʑî mwô/ B1	adjective - lonely; lonesome
家 /d͡ʒja/ A1	noun - home; family
灰 /xwei/ A2	noun - ash; grey
雲 /y̌n/ A1	noun - cloud
季節 /t͡ɕî t͡ɕjɛ/ A2	noun - season
太陽 /tʰai jaŋ/ A1	noun - sun
月光 /y̯ɥɛ̂ kwaŋ/ A2	noun - moonlight
藍 /lan/ A1	adjective - blue
寒冷 /xan ləŋ/ B1	adjective - cold; frigid
遺憾 /ǐ xan/ B2	noun - regret; sorrow
命運 /miŋ ŷn/ B1	noun - fate; destiny
邏輯 /lwó d͡ʒi/ B2	noun - logic
家鄉 /d͡ʒja ɕjaŋ/ A2	noun - hometown
秋夜 /t͡ɕʰju ʝɛ/ B1	noun - autumn night
憂鬱 /joʊ ỳ/ B2	adjective - melancholy; depressed
孤單 /ku tan/ B1	adjective - lonely; solitary
永恆 /y̌ŋ həŋ/ C1	adjective - eternal; perpetual
夢 /məŋ/ A1	noun - dream

Key Grammar Structures

• 舉頭望無盡灰雲

  ➔ Present tense for ongoing actions.

  ➔ The phrase "舉頭望" indicates an action happening in the present.

• 不得不選擇寒冷的開始

  ➔ Modal verbs for necessity.

  ➔ The phrase "不得不" expresses a necessity to choose.

• 命運的安排

  ➔ Possessive structure.

  ➔ The phrase "命運的" indicates possession, meaning 'of fate'.

• 而我卻像 落葉歸根

  ➔ Simile construction.

  ➔ The phrase "像" introduces a simile, comparing oneself to falling leaves returning home.

• 幾分憂鬱 幾分孤單

  ➔ Quantifiers for degree.

  ➔ The phrase "幾分" quantifies the feelings of melancholy and loneliness.

• 唯獨在你身邊

  ➔ Adverbial phrase for exclusivity.

  ➔ The phrase "唯獨" emphasizes exclusivity, meaning 'only'.

• 當我開口你卻沈默

  ➔ Contrastive conjunctions.

  ➔ The conjunction "卻" indicates a contrast between speaking and silence.