年度之歌 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 謝安琪
• Album: 吶喊Yelling

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the beauty of Cantonese through Kay Tse's iconic song, “年度之歌”. This song offers a chance to learn expressive and poetic vocabulary related to themes of time, memory, and the cycles of life. What makes it special is its profound, self-aware message about the fleeting nature of popularity, making it a timeless piece for reflection and a great way to deepen your understanding of Cantonese culture and language.

[English]

Once I climbed the ladders to the sky, once I embraced my body

Once I cared about everything, only to be suddenly shattered

And a moment feels finer than sand

Beautiful nights went off track for no reason

Let me realize everything can be let go

Still, it’s a rare beauty I haven’t seen in a hundred years

What I had and suddenly lost, there’s a kind of wisdom in that

Throughout the year, how many songs are played every day

To give you the most joyful distraction

Pop music is a heartwarming song, gone in a moment after being spoken

Who once was your song, you can't quite remember

I see you get up and leave your seat

So happy to have loved you, you owe me nothing at all

Spring I once had, valleys I once crossed

Life is like a light ladder, sometimes high, sometimes low, but never losing momentum

...

Throughout the year, how many songs are played every day

To give you the most joyful distraction

Pop music is a heartwarming song, gone in a moment after being spoken

Who once was your song, you can't quite remember

I see you get up and leave your seat

So happy to have loved you, you owe me nothing at all

Who once was your song, you can't quite remember

I see you get up and leave your seat

Very glad to have shone because of you, peaks always give way to slopes

A drawer filled with memories, the brilliance in the time machine

Life blooms like flowers, beautiful but fleeting, a view forever unforgotten

Looking back, yesterday’s theater feels bottomless

Still, some scenes were well performed

I wish I understood the beauty of stepping down, bowing out gracefully

At least earning a bow of respect

Who dreams that one song lasts a lifetime, inspiring loyalty to the very end

...

[Chinese]

曾經攀上的天梯 曾經擁抱的身體

曾經在乎一切 被突然摧毀

剎那比沙更細

良夜美景沒原因出了軌

來讓我知一切皆可放低

還是百載未逢的美麗

得到過又猝逝 也有一種智慧

全年度有幾多首歌 給天天的播

給你最愉快的消磨

流行是一首窩心的歌 突然間說過就過

誰曾是你這一首歌 你記不清楚

我看著你離座

真高興給你愛護過 根本你不欠我甚麼

曾經擁有的春季 曾經走過的谷底

人生是場輕梯 忽高也忽低 不輸氣勢

全年度有幾多首歌 給天天的播

給你最愉快的消磨

流行是一首窩心的歌 突然間說過就過

誰曾是你這一首歌 你記不清楚

我看著你離座

真高興給你愛護過 根本你不欠我甚麼

誰曾是你這一首歌 你記不清楚

我看著你離座

很高興因你燦爛過 高峰過總會有下坡

回憶裝滿的抽屜 時光機裏的光輝

人生艷如花卉 但限時美麗 一覽始終無遺

回望昨天劇場深不見底

還是有幾幕曾好好發揮

還願我懂下臺的美藝 鞠躬了就退位

起碼得到敬禮

誰又妄想一曲一世 讓人忠心到底

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
攀上 (pān shàng) /pʰan˥ ʂaŋ˥˩/ B2	verb - to climb up; to scale
擁抱 (yōng bào) /jʊŋ˥ baʊ̯˥˩/ B1	verb - to embrace; to hug
摧毀 (cuī huǐ) /tsʰweɪ̯˥ hweɪ̯˩/ C1	verb - to destroy; to devastate
良夜 (liáng yè) /ljɑŋ˧˥ jɛ˥˩/ B2	noun - pleasant night; fine evening
美景 (měi jǐng) /meɪ̯˧˥ t͡ɕiŋ˨˩˦/ B1	noun - beautiful scenery; beautiful view
放低 (fàng dī) /faŋ˥˩ ti/ B2	verb - to let go; to put down; to relinquish
美麗 (měi lì) /meɪ̯˧˥ li˥˩/ A2	adjective - beautiful; pretty
猝逝 (cù shì) /tsʰu˥˩ ʂɨ˥˩/ C2	verb - to die suddenly; sudden death
智慧 (zhì huì) /ʈʂɨ˥˩ xweɪ̯˥˩/ B2	noun - wisdom; intelligence
愉快 (yú kuài) /y˧˥ kʰwaɪ̯˥˩/ B1	adjective - happy; cheerful; joyful
流行 (liú xíng) /ljoʊ̯˧˥ ɕiŋ˧˥/ B1	adjective - popular; fashionable
窩心 (wō xīn) /wo˥ ɕin/ B2	adjective - heartwarming; touching
愛護 (ài hù) /aɪ̯˥˩ xu˥˩/ B2	verb - to take good care of; to cherish
燦爛 (càn làn) /tsʰan˥˩ lan˥˩/ B2	adjective - bright; brilliant; splendid
回憶 (huí yì) /xweɪ˧˥ i˥˩/ B1	noun - memory; recollection
光輝 (guāng huī) /kwɑŋ˥ hweɪ/ B2	noun - glory; radiance; brilliance
艷 (yàn) /jɛn˥˩/ B2	adjective - colorful; gorgeous; amorous
發揮 (fā huī) /fa˥ xweɪ/ B1	verb - to bring out implicit or innate qualities; to develop (an idea); to express (an opinion)
敬禮 (jìng lǐ) /t͡ɕiŋ˥˩ li˨˩˦/ B1	verb - to salute; to give a salute