明明就 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 周杰倫

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical world of Jay Chou's "明明就" (Ming Ming Jiu), a heartfelt pop ballad that not only delivers profound emotions but also offers a beautiful window into the poetic nuances of Mandarin Chinese. Through its evocative lyrics and Jay Chou's signature musical style, you can learn common expressions of love, regret, and resignation, set against the backdrop of European imagery. The song's clear narrative and emotional depth make it a compelling piece for language learners seeking to grasp everyday Mandarin vocabulary and understand the cultural storytelling within Mandopop.

[English]

There are so many colors in the candy jar

The smile is no longer sweet

Some of your happiness

In moments without me

In the medieval city

I think I’ll just stop here

The seagull no longer yearns for the sea

It can fly even further

The sound of a bagpipe comes from afar

I only care about news of you

The castle keeps secrets for love

And I keep memories for you

Clearly, I'm not used to holding hands

Why do I take the initiative to hook your hand?

You have too many secrets, I won’t poke at them

Clearly, he is gentler

Maybe he can give you more

No need to choose, I will automatically become a friend

...

There are so many colors in the candy jar

The smile is no longer sweet

Some of your happiness

In moments without me

In the medieval city

I think I’ll just stop here

The seagull no longer yearns for the sea

It can fly even further

The sound of a bagpipe comes from afar

I only care about news of you

The castle keeps secrets for love

And I keep memories for you

Clearly, I'm not used to holding hands

Why do I take the initiative to hook your hand?

You have too many secrets, I won’t poke at them

Clearly, he is gentler

Maybe he can give you more

No need to choose, I will automatically become a friend

...

Clearly, clearly, clearly

He is gentler

Maybe he can give you more

No need to choose, I will automatically become a friend

...

[Chinese]

糖果罐裡好多顏色

微笑卻不甜了

你的某些快樂

在沒有我的時刻

中古世紀的城市裡

我想就走到這

海鷗不再眷戀大海

可以飛更遠

遠方傳來風笛

我只在意有你的消息

城堡為愛守著秘密

而我為你守著回憶

明明就不習慣牽手

為何卻主動把手勾

你的心事太多 我不會戳破

明明就他比較溫柔

也許他能給你更多

不用抉擇 我會自動變朋友

糖果罐裡好多顏色

微笑卻不甜了

你的某些快樂

在沒有我的時刻

中古世紀的城市裡

我想就走到這

海鷗不再眷戀大海

可以飛更遠

遠方傳來風笛

我只在意有你的消息

城堡為愛守著秘密

而我為你守著回憶

明明就不習慣牽手

為何卻主動把手勾

你的心事太多 我不會戳破

明明就他比較溫柔

也許他能給你更多

不用抉擇 我會自動變朋友

明明就 明明就 明明就

他比較溫柔

也許他能給你更多

不用抉擇 我會自動變朋友

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
糖果 /táng guǒ/ A1	noun - candy
顏色 /yán sè/ A1	noun - color
微笑 /wēi xiào/ A2	verb - to smile
快樂 /kuài lè/ A2	noun - happiness
城市 /chéng shì/ A2	noun - city
海鷗 /hǎi ōu/ B1	noun - seagull
風笛 /fēng dí/ B2	noun - bagpipe
城堡 /chéng bǎo/ B2	noun - castle
秘密 /mì mì/ B2	noun - secret
回憶 /huí yì/ B2	noun - memory
習慣 /xí guàn/ B2	noun - habit
主動 /zhǔ dòng/ B2	adjective - active, proactive
溫柔 /wēn róu/ B2	adjective - gentle, tender
抉擇 /jué zé/ C1	verb - to choose, to decide
朋友 /péng yǒu/ A1	noun - friend

Key Grammar Structures

• 糖果罐裡好多顏色

  ➔ Use of '裡' (inside) to indicate location or containment

  ➔ '裡' functions as a locative particle meaning 'inside' or 'within'.

• 微笑卻不甜了

  ➔ Use of '卻' to express contrast or unexpected result

  ➔ '卻' indicates a contrast between expected and actual situation.

• 在沒有我的時刻

  ➔ Use of '在...時刻' to specify 'at the moment of' or 'when'

  ➔ '在...時刻' means 'at the time of' or 'during the moment of'.

• 我想就走到這

  ➔ Use of '就' to indicate 'just' or 'only' in a context of simple action

  ➔ '就' emphasizes that the action occurs in a straightforward or minimal context, often translating as 'just' or 'simply'.

• 也許他能給你更多

  ➔ Use of '也許' (perhaps) to express possibility or uncertainty

  ➔ '也許' signifies possibility, indicating that something may happen or be true.

• 不用抉擇

  ➔ Use of '不用' to indicate 'no need to' or 'not necessary to' do something

  ➔ '不用' means 'no need to' or 'not necessary to', suggesting that something is not required.