那陣時不知道 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: my little airport, nicole au, karena au

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the Cantonese language through My Little Airport's “那陣時不知道”, a song that beautifully encapsulates youthful nostalgia and the bittersweet realization of time's passage. Learn about Hong Kong's indie music scene while reflecting on the universal theme of cherished memories.

[English]

Like in the early 90s

The impression of the beach in photos

That weightless afternoon

Running toward the sunset with a bit of confusion

That year I traveled alone to Southeast Asia

Mornings with a cup of white coffee

Everywhere felt like an adventure waiting to happen

The scent of eucalyptus leaves

I didn’t know back then

The days I spent felt like they shined bright

The arrogance hidden in my gaze

Things haven’t been the same since

...

The wooden window of the library

The stern look of a teacher pretending to be serious

Still had no one to confide in

Didn’t feel sad or lonely yet

I didn’t know back then

Every day on the glorious battlefield

Riding a horse to the frontier

Every place I visited felt like a reward

Woo, quiet but not long-lasting

Woo, quiet but not long-lasting

Woo, quiet but not long-lasting

Woo, quiet but not long-lasting

...

[Chinese]

如像九十年代初

照片裡海灘的印象

那種下午沒有重量

帶點迷惘奔向夕陽

那年獨自去南洋

一杯白咖啡的早上

四周是可冒險方向

尤加利樹葉的香

那陣時不知道

置身的日子都發亮

眼光裡藏著的囂張

往後已不再同樣

圖書館木製的窗

訓導假裝嚴肅的模樣

還未有傾訴對象

仍未覺得悲涼

那陣時不知道

每天在風光的戰場

騎著馬去到邊疆

所到之地全是賜賞

Woo 寂靜 但不漫長

Woo 寂靜 但不漫長

Woo 寂靜 但不漫長

Woo 寂靜 但不漫長

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
照片 /ˈʒɑːpiːn/ A2	noun - photograph, picture
海灘 /ˈhaɪtɑːn/ A1	noun - beach
重量 /ˈdʒuːŋlɑːŋ/ B1	noun - weight
迷惘 /miːˈwɑːŋ/ B2	adjective - bewildered, confused
奔向 /bənˈʃjɑːŋ/ B1	verb - to run towards
夕陽 /ˈsɪʃjɑːŋ/ A2	noun - sunset
獨自 /ˈdʊtsiː/ B1	adverb - alone, by oneself
冒險 /ˈmɑʊʃjɛn/ B1	verb - to take risks, to venture noun - adventure
樹葉 /ˈʃuːjɛ/ A2	noun - leaf
發亮 /fɑˈljɑːŋ/ B1	verb - to shine, to glow
眼光 /ˈɑːŋwɑːŋ/ B1	noun - eyesight, vision, perspective
囂張 /ˈʃjɑʊtʒɑːŋ/ C1	adjective - arrogant, overbearing
圖書館 /ˈtʰuːʃuːkwɑːn/ A2	noun - library
木製 /ˈmuːtʃəːŋ/ B1	adjective - wooden
嚴肅 /ˈjɛnsuːk/ B2	adjective - serious, solemn
悲涼 /ˈpeɪlɪɔːŋ/ B2	adjective - sad and desolate
風光 /ˈfʊŋkwɔːŋ/ B1	noun - scenery, landscape
戰場 /ˈtʃiːntʃœːŋ/ B1	noun - battlefield
寂靜 /ˈtsiːkd͡ʒɪŋ/ B2	adjective - silent, quiet
漫長 /ˈmɑːntʃœːŋ/ B2	adjective - very long, endless

Key Grammar Structures

• 那陣時不知道

  ➔ Using the past tense with '不知道' to express ignorance about a past situation

  ➔ '不知道' means 'did not know', expressing ignorance in the past

• 如像九十年代初

  ➔ Using '如像' (similar to '像' or '好像') to make comparisons or imply resemblance

  ➔ '如像' means 'like' or 'similar to', used for comparisons

• 照片裡海灘的印象

  ➔ Using '的' as a possessive or attributive particle to specify '海灘的印象' (the impression of the beach)

  ➔ '的' is a structural particle used to indicate possession or to modify nouns, here specifying the impression related to '海灘' (beach)

• 那種下午沒有重量

  ➔ Using '沒有' to indicate the absence of '重量' (weight or burden)

  ➔ '沒有' means 'does not have' or 'lacks', indicating the absence of '重量'

• 帶點迷惘奔向夕陽

  ➔ Using '帶點' to indicate 'carrying a bit of' or 'a touch of' something, here '迷惘'

  ➔ '帶點' means 'carrying a bit of' or 'a touch of', used to describe a slight presence of an emotion or characteristic

• 那陣時不知道

  ➔ Repeated use of '不知道' to emphasize past ignorance

  ➔ '不知道' is repeated for emphasis on the past condition of not knowing