逆流之歌 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: RubberBand

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language is a journey, and what better way to navigate the currents of Cantonese than with RubberBand's '逆流之歌'? This song is more than just music; it's a story of encouragement and fighting spirit, making it a powerful and motivating learning tool. Through its stirring lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to determination and perseverance. What makes this song special is its raw and honest portrayal of struggle, a universal theme that connects deeply with listeners, offering you a heartfelt entry into the language and culture of Hong Kong.

[English]

How many hills must I climb before I realize

That I can't dodge this survival fight

How much seawater must I drain to understand

How to resist this life’s counterattack

...

Breaking out from here, with my own body

Giving all I have, until I take my last breath

Relying on my breath to stir up the entire universe

Even if I lose ground and face the crossroads

Hearing the heartbeat breaking through inside

Heading toward that exit

...

My fast-paced life rushes by in turbulence

Chasing illusions I cannot catch

Struggling at the fork in the road

How to grasp what’s truly real

Breaking out from here, with my own body

Giving all I have, until I take my last breath

Relying on my breath to stir up the entire universe

Even if I lose ground and face the crossroads

Hearing the heartbeat breaking through inside

I do not tremble

Time has emptied everything away

But I hold onto that dream

No fear of gray hair or the pain in my body

...

Giving all I have, until I take my last breath

Relying on my breath to stir up the entire universe

Even if I lose ground and face the crossroads

Hearing the heartbeat breaking through grief within

Giving all I have, tirelessly and unceasingly

Relying on my breath to stir up the entire universe

Anyone who’s lost ground knows the feeling

Hearing the heart’s drum break through the pain

Heading toward that exit

...

[Chinese]

翻多少山丘方發覺

躲不開這生存肉搏

啃多少海水至清楚

怎給這一生反撲

衝出這裏 憑我身軀

拼了所有 斷氣方休

靠我呼吸捲起整個宇宙

縱會失勢 碰上關口

聽到心裡鼓聲穿透

航向那出口

湍急的一生飛快掠過

追趕不到一場幻覺

分岔口之中在奔波

怎把握真的知覺

衝出這裏 憑我身軀

拼了所有 斷氣方休

靠我呼吸捲起整個宇宙

縱會失勢 碰上關口

聽到心裡鼓聲穿透

我未有顫抖

歲月將一切淘空

但我守好那片夢

哪懼髮白再滿身疼痛

拼了所有 斷氣方休

靠我呼吸捲起整個宇宙

縱會失勢 碰上關口

聽到心中鼓聲穿過悲憂

拼了所有 不息不休

靠我呼吸捲起整個宇宙

試過失勢 誰人沒有

聽到心中鼓聲穿透

航向那出口

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
山丘 (shānqiū) /ʃan1 tɕʰiou1/ B1	noun - hill
生存 (shēngcún) /ʂəŋ1 tsʰʊn2/ B2	verb - to survive; to exist
肉搏 (ròubó) /ʐou4 bo2/ C1	verb - close combat; hand-to-hand fighting
海水 (hǎishuǐ) /xaɪ3 ʂuei3/ A2	noun - seawater
反撲 (fǎnpū) /fan3 pʰu1/ C1	verb - to counterattack
身軀 (shēnqū) /ʂən1 tɕʰy1/ B2	noun - body
拼 (pīn) /pʰin1/ B1	verb - to risk all; to spell
斷氣 (duànqì) /twan4 t͡ɕʰi4/ B2	verb - to stop breathing; to die
呼吸 (hūxī) /xu1 si1/ A2	verb - to breathe
宇宙 (yǔzhòu) /y3 ʈ͡ʂou4/ B2	noun - universe
失勢 (shīshì) /ʂɨ1 ʂɨ4/ C1	verb - to lose power; to fall out of favor
關口 (guānkǒu) /kwan1 kʰou3/ B1	noun - pass; barrier; critical juncture
鼓聲 (gǔshēng) /ku3 ʂəŋ1/ B1	noun - drum sound
湍急 (tuānjí) /tʰwan1 t͡ɕi2/ C1	adjective - rapid; torrential
幻覺 (huànjué) /xwan4 tɕʰɥœ2/ B2	noun - illusion; hallucination
分岔口 (fēnchàkǒu) /fən1 t͡ʂʰa4 kʰou3/ B2	noun - fork in the road; crossroads
知覺 (zhījué) /ʈ͡ʂɨ1 t͡ɕɥœ2/ B2	noun - perception; awareness
顫抖 (chàndǒu) /ʈ͡ʂʰan4 tou3/ B1	verb - to shiver; to tremble
淘空 (táokōng) /tʰɑʊ2 kʰʊŋ1/ C1	verb - to hollow out; to drain
歲月 (suìyuè) /sweɪ4 yœ4/ B2	noun - years; time
夢 (mèng) /məŋ4/ A1	noun - dream
髮白 (fàbái) /fa4 paɪ2/ B1	adjective - white-haired; gray-haired
疼痛 (téngtòng) /tʰəŋ2 tʰʊŋ4/ B1	noun - pain; ache
悲憂 (bēiyōu) /pei1 jou1/ C1	noun - sorrow; grief