芒种 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 音阙诗听, 赵方婧

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the beautiful world of Chinese language and culture through the viral hit "芒种" (Grain in Ear). This song offers a fantastic opportunity to explore poetic Chinese lyrics filled with evocative imagery and philosophical concepts, such as reincarnation and the struggle with attachment. Its unique blend of traditional instruments like the guzheng and modern electronic sounds makes it a captivating and melodious way to immerse yourself in contemporary Chinese music while enhancing your language skills.

[English]

Whenever I think of you, I go oh-oh

Empty hatred, dreams of parting linger long

Ooh-ooh, ashes scatter, smoke veils the willows

...

In the vibrant branches, flawless in their withering

Lies the price of unraveling the mystery

The setting sun touches the traveler’s hair

He scatters his worries beneath the bridge

A latecomer from the past (brushing shoulders)

Palm etched with (remember next life)

A drop of ink falls from your misty gaze, whoa-whoa-whoa

If the Buddha says (no attachments, no burdens)

Let go of obsessions (formless, colorless)

How can I calmly agree without turmoil?

Whenever I think of you, I go ooh-ooh

Love’s sorrow is fleeting, trapped in the sea of suffering

Ooh-ooh, new growth remains, fallen flowers drift in shadows

Ooh-ooh, longing is useless, I laugh at old vows

Ooh-ooh

What do I seek?

...

What do I seek?

Plant ten thousand lotus flowers, blooming among all beings

Awaiting ten thousand answers from the mortal world

Prayer beads sink into time’s silt and sand

Waiting to let go of interpretations of compassion

A latecomer from the past (brushing shoulders)

Palm etched with (remember next life)

A drop of ink falls from your misty gaze, whoa-whoa-whoa

If the Buddha says (no attachments, no burdens)

Let go of obsessions (formless, colorless)

How can I calmly agree without turmoil?

Whenever I think of you, I go oh-oh

Love’s sorrow is fleeting, trapped in the sea of suffering

Ooh-ooh, new growth remains, fallen flowers drift in shadows

Ooh-ooh, longing is useless, I laugh at old vows

Ooh-ooh

What do I seek?

...

What do I seek?

...

[Chinese]

一想到你我就 oh-oh

空恨別夢久

Ooh-ooh 燒去紙灰埋煙柳

於鮮活的枝丫 凋零下的無暇

是收穫謎底的代價

余暉沾上遠行人的發

他灑下手中牽掛於橋下

前世遲來者 (擦肩而過)

掌心刻 (來生記得)

你眼中煙波滴落一滴墨 whoa-whoa-whoa

若佛說 (無牽無掛)

放下執著 (無相無色)

我怎能波瀾不驚去附和

一想到你我就 ooh-ooh

恨情不壽 總於苦海囚

Ooh-ooh 新翠徒留 落花影中游

Ooh-ooh 相思無用 才笑山盟舊

Ooh-ooh

謂我何求

謂我何求

種一萬朵蓮花 在眾生中發芽

等紅塵一萬種解答

念珠落進時間的泥沙

待割捨詮釋慈悲的讀法

前世遲來者 (擦肩而過)

掌心刻 (來生記得)

你眼中煙波滴落一滴墨 whoa-whoa-whoa

若佛說 (無牽無掛)

放下執著 (無相無色)

我怎能波瀾不驚去附和

一想到你我就 oh-oh

恨情不壽 總於苦海囚

Ooh-ooh 新翠徒留 落花影中游

Ooh-ooh 相思無用 才笑山盟舊

Ooh-ooh

謂我何求

謂我何求

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
想 /ɕiɑŋ/ A1	verb - to think; to miss; to want
恨 /xən/ B1	noun - hatred; resentment verb - to hate
執著 /ʈʂɨ˧˥ ʈʂwuɔ˧˥/ B2	noun - attachment; persistence verb - to cling to; to be persistent
放下 /fɑŋ ɕjɑ/ B1	verb - to let go; to put down
波瀾 /pɔ˥˩ lǎn/ B2	noun - waves; turmoil
相思 /ɕjɑŋ sɿ/ B2	noun - longing; yearning (often romantic)
蓮花 /liɛn˧˥ xuɑ/ B2	noun - lotus flower
眾生 /ʈʂʊŋ˥˩ ʂəŋ˧˥/ C1	noun - sentient beings; all living creatures
紅塵 /xʊŋ˧˥ tʂən˥˩/ C1	noun - the mundane world; worldly affairs
時間 /ʂɨ˥˩ tɕjɛn˥˩/ A1	noun - time
墨 /mɔ˥˩/ A2	noun - ink
佛 /fɔ˧˥/ B1	noun - Buddha; a Buddhist deity
燒 /ʂɑʊ̯˥˩/ A1	verb - to burn
凋零 /tjɑʊ̯˥˩ liŋ˥˩/ B2	verb - to wither; to fade away
收穫 /ʂoʊ̯˥˩ xuɔ˥˩/ B1	noun - harvest; the result of effort verb - to harvest; to reap
代價 /tɑi˥˩ tɕjɑ˥˩/ B2	noun - price; cost; price to pay
余暉 /y˧˥ xweɪ̯˥˩/ C1	noun - afterglow; lingering light
慈悲 /tsʰɨ˥˩ pi˥˩/ C1	noun - compassion; mercy
刻 /kʰɤ˥˩/ B1	verb - to carve; to engrave noun - a moment; a short period of time
牽掛 /tɕʰjɛn˥˩ kwa˥˩/ B2	noun - concern; worry; attachment verb - to be concerned about; to miss

Key Grammar Structures

• 一想到你我就 oh-oh

  ➔ Present tense with '就' (immediately)

  ➔ The phrase '一想到你我就' uses '就' to indicate an immediate reaction upon thinking of someone.

• 於鮮活的枝丫 凋零下的無暇

  ➔ Prepositional phrase with '於' (in, at)

  ➔ The phrase '於鮮活的枝丫' uses '於' as a preposition to indicate location or context.

• 是收穫謎底的代價

  ➔ Present tense with '是' (to be)

  ➔ The phrase '是收穫謎底的代價' uses '是' to state a fact or existence.

• 前世遲來者 (擦肩而過)

  ➔ Relative clause with '者' (one who)

  ➔ The phrase '前世遲來者' uses '者' to refer to 'one who' in a relative clause.

• 掌心刻 (來生記得)

  ➔ Imperative mood with '記得' (remember)

  ➔ The phrase '來生記得' uses '記得' in the imperative mood to give a command to remember.

• 若佛說 (無牽無掛)

  ➔ Conditional clause with '若' (if)

  ➔ The phrase '若佛說' uses '若' to introduce a conditional clause.

• 放下執著 (無相無色)

  ➔ Verb-object construction with '放下' (let go)

  ➔ The phrase '放下執著' uses '放下' as a verb-object construction to mean 'let go of obsession.'

• 謂我何求

  ➔ Rhetorical question with '謂' (to ask)

  ➔ The phrase '謂我何求' uses '謂' to form a rhetorical question, meaning 'what do I seek?'