Đóa Tú Cầu – Bilingual Lyrics Vietnamese/English

• By: Nguyễn Hùng

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the Vietnamese language and culture through Nguyễn Hùng's song, “Đóa Tú Cầu.” This song, named after the beautiful hydrangea flower, offers a chance to learn about Vietnamese music and the symbolism of flowers in Vietnamese culture. Discover the beauty and emotional depth conveyed through the lyrics and melody.

[English]

Hydrangea bloom,

it's been so long since I've seen you.

Bellflower,

floating serenely in the river's embrace.

Forget-me-not branch, I long to search for you.

Worry flower,

why do I still hesitate?

Roses,

I ask if you still remember me.

Flowers will fade,

because you turned away so quickly.

I love flowers, do you know why?

Because you love flowers, I brought them home to grow.

[Vietnamese]

Đóa tú cầu,

bao lâu không thấy em đâu.

Hoa cát tường,

vào giang ngơ ngát lạ thường.

Nhành lưu ly dục tôi đi kiếm em đi.

Hoa ưu tư,

sao vẫn thấy tôi chần chừ.

Những đóa hồng,

hỏi em có nhớ tôi không.

Hoa sẽ tàn,

vì em quay gót vội vàng.

Tôi yêu hoa, vì sao em biết không?

Vì em yêu hoa, tôi mới đem hoa về trồng.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
đóa /ɗo̞ː᷉ǎ/ B2	noun - a flower (counting unit for flowers)
hoa /hwaː/ A1	noun - flower
tôi /tôj/ A1	pronoun (subject) - I, me
yêu /iəw/ A2	verb - to love, to like
nhành /ɲaɲ/ B1	noun - branch (of a tree or plant)
lưu ly /liu li/ C1	noun / adjective (poetic) - glassy, crystal; bluish-purple flower (lychnis)
tụ /tu/ C2	verb / noun (literary) - accumulate, gather; accumulation
kiếm /kiəm/ B1	verb / noun - to look for, seek; sword
ưu tư /wu tu/ C1	noun / adjective - anxiety, worry; melancholic
chần chừ /t͡ɕən t͡ɕɨ/ B2	verb phrase - to hesitate, be reluctant
hồng /hoŋ/ A2	noun / adjective - rose; pink (color)
tàn /tan/ B2	verb / adjective - to wither, fade; withered
gót /got/ B2	noun - heel (of foot or shoe)
vội vàng /vɔj vəŋ/ B1	adjective / adverb - hurried, rushed
biết /biət/ A1	verb - to know
trồng /tʂoŋ/ B1	verb - to plant, cultivate

Key Grammar Structures

• bao lâu không thấy em đâu.

  ➔ Negative interrogative with “đâu”

  ➔ The word "đâu" at the end turns the statement into a negative question, similar to “Has it really been so long without seeing you?”.

• Nhánh lưu ly dục tôi đi kiếm em đi.

  ➔ Causative verb “dục” + purpose infinitive “đi …”

  ➔ The verb "dục" means “to urge” and is followed by "đi" + verb phrase, showing purpose: "dục tôi đi kiếm em" = “make me go to look for you”.

• sao vẫn thấy tôi chần chừ.

  ➔ Rhetorical question using “sao”

  ➔ The word "sao" introduces a rhetorical question, expressing doubt or disappointment: "sao vẫn thấy tôi chần chừ" = “Why am I still hesitating?”.

• hỏi em có nhớ tôi không.

  ➔ Yes‑no question pattern “có … không”

  ➔ The pair "có … không" frames a yes‑no question; here "có nhớ tôi không" asks “Do you remember me?”.

• Hoa sẽ tàn, vì em quay gót vội vàng.

  ➔ Future marker “sẽ” + causal clause with “vì”

  ➔ "sẽ" indicates a future action (will), and "vì" introduces the cause: "Hoa sẽ tàn, vì em quay gót" = “The flower will wilt because you turned away quickly.”

• Tôi yêu hoa, vì sao em biết không?

  ➔ Interrogative phrase “vì sao” + question tag “không?”

  ➔ "vì sao" means “why”, and the trailing "không?" seeks confirmation, similar to “why do you know, right?”.

• Vì em yêu hoa, tôi mới đem hoa về trồng.

  ➔ Use of “mới” to indicate a recent or just‑now action

  ➔ The adverb "mới" signals that the action happened just now: "tôi mới đem hoa" = “I have just brought the flowers”.