披星戴月 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 張敬軒
• Album: Hins Live in Passion 2014

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the profound message of Hins Cheung's "披星戴月," a song that encapsulates the daily grind and emotional struggles of city life. Explore poignant Cantonese lyrics that question the balance between personal ambition and genuine empathy, offering a window into Hong Kong's cultural reflections on work, relationships, and global awareness .

[English]

The world is too big to embrace

Your footprints are too small, scattered into destiny in the blink of an eye

If one day this appearance rots into dust

Is there even half a second worth being proud of?

Striving gets tiring, nothing but a prize can encourage me

Half a bedroom can’t be compensated for by velvet bedding

Knowing I'm not good enough, the most steadfast or noble thing in my life

Turns out I just didn’t want you to wait, arriving even sick is not late

Recalling this ideal, it's not ideal enough

A trip wandering the world, only going upwards

Paying attention to faraway places and receiving praise

But I'm forcing myself to cry about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Only because I think of us fighting

Also because of not knowing how to tolerate, leaving regrets in the snow

Is it only by forgetting you that I get a reward?

Is it only by remembering everyone in the world that everyone will forget us?

...

What you gave me can't be bought with savings

Your distant gaze can’t be seen by any broad eye

Raising aspirations so high, dedicating without asking for returns

Forgetting selfishness, travelling day and night, sweeping snow for whom?

Recalling this ideal, it's not ideal enough. A trip wandering the world, only going upwards

Paying attention to faraway places and receiving praise, but I'm forcing myself to cry about the war

Only because I think of us fighting, also because of not knowing how to tolerate, leaving regrets in the snow

Honestly, I only wish to happily herd sheep with you, being content with this achievement even when old

Falling in love may not be ideal, setting off for the Nobel Prize is more beautiful

No matter who the halo shines for, I won't hear you clapping again

This life is worth living, needing to follow someone's direction, every day having something to do to not waste the night

Is it only by spreading flower petals further that they become more fragrant?

Is it only by forgetting love that I'll forget that my breathing is already deprived of oxygen?

Is it only by treating flying a kite as a hard fight that I'm normal?

...

[Chinese]

世界大得不可以 去擁抱

你腳印又小得轉眼 散失於命數

若有天 這副賣相腐化於塵土

可有一分半秒值得我去 自豪

奮鬥倦得非獎品 可鼓舞

那半個睡房非絲絨被鋪可彌補

知我未夠好 一世人最硬朗或崇高

原來是不想你等 趕到了病倒也沒遲到

回憶這理想 不夠理想

沿途逛世間一趟只有向上

關注遠方得到讚賞

但是我哭以巴開火很牽強

只因想到我們開仗

也因不懂去包容才留遺恨在雪上

是否不記得一個你才有獎

是否只記得所有世人才會不記得我倆

你送贈的非積蓄 買得到

你遠去目光非廣闊 眼光可望到

將志願托高 高到奉獻沒有問回報

忘掉沒私心去披星再載月積雪為誰掃

回憶這理想 不夠理想 沿途逛世間一趟只有向上

關注遠方得到讚賞 但是我哭戰火哭得很牽強

只因想到我們開仗 也因不懂去包容才留遺恨在雪上

問心只妄想跟你快樂牧羊 憑這成就到老去亦安詳

談戀愛也許不算理想 為諾貝爾獎出發先算漂亮

光環無論為誰發亮 但是再不會聽到你拍掌

不枉這生需按照誰方向 每一天都有所為才能毋負過晚上

是否花瓣鋪得更遠便更香

是否不記得戀愛我便忘記 呼吸早缺氧

是否把放風箏也當硬仗 才是正常

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
世界 (shìjiè) /ˈʂɨˌt͡ɕjɛ/ A1	noun - world
擁抱 (yōngbào) /jʊŋˈbaʊ/ B1	verb - to embrace; to hug
腳印 (jiǎoyìn) /t͡ɕjaʊ̯³⁵ in⁵¹/ B1	noun - footprint
命數 (mìngshù) /mɪŋ ʃu/ B2	noun - fate; destiny
腐化 (fǔhuà) /fu hwa/ B2	verb - to corrupt; to decay
塵土 (chéntǔ) /ʈʂʰən tʰu/ B1	noun - dust
自豪 (zìháo) /t͡sz̩⁵¹ xaʊ̯³⁵/ B2	adjective - proud
奮鬥 (fèndòu) /fəntou/ B1	verb - to strive; to struggle
獎品 (jiǎngpǐn) /t͡ɕjɑŋ pʰin/ A2	noun - prize; award
鼓舞 (gǔwǔ) /ku wu/ B1	verb - to encourage; to inspire
睡房 (shuìfáng) /ʂweɪ faŋ/ A2	noun - bedroom
彌補 (míbǔ) /mi bu/ B2	verb - to make up for; to compensate
硬朗 (yìnglǎng) /iŋ laŋ/ B2	adjective - strong; robust
崇高 (chónggāo) /ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ gaʊ/ B2	adjective - lofty; sublime
理想 (lǐxiǎng) /li ʃiaŋ/ A2	noun - ideal
遺恨 (yíhèn) /i hən/ C1	noun - lasting regret; bitter hatred
雪 (xuě) /ɕɥɛ/ A1	noun - snow
送贈 (sòngzèng) /sʊŋ tsəŋ/ B2	verb - to give as a present; to present
志願 (zhìyuàn) /ʈ͡ʂɻ ɥɛn/ B1	noun - aspiration, ambition
奉獻 (fèngxiàn) /fəŋ ɕjɛn/ B2	verb - to dedicate; to devote
快樂 (kuàilè) /kʰwaɪ lɤ/ A1	adjective - happy
安詳 (ānxiáng) /an ɕiaŋ/ B2	adjective - serene; peaceful
漂亮 (piàoliang) /pʰjaʊ ljaŋ/ A1	adjective - beautiful; pretty
光環 (guānghuán) /kwɑŋ hwan/ B2	noun - halo, aura
方向 (fāngxiàng) /fɑŋ ɕiɑŋ/ A2	noun - direction
花瓣 (huābàn) /hwa ban/ B1	noun - petal
呼吸 (hūxī) /xu si/ A2	verb - breathe

Key Grammar Structures

• 可有一分半秒值得我去 自豪

  ➔ Use of "值得" (zhíde) to express worth or it is worth doing something.

  ➔ "值得" indicates whether something is worth doing or deserving.

• 沿途逛世間一趟只有向上

  ➔ Use of "只有...才" (only if) to emphasize a condition necessary for an outcome.

  ➔ "只有...才" is used to indicate that only when a certain condition is met, a particular result will happen.

• 你腳印又小得轉眼 散失於命數

  ➔ Use of "又...得" (yòu...de) to indicate a state or degree that is excessive or remarkable.

  ➔ "又...得" expresses a degree that is surprising, excessive, or noteworthy.

• 問心只妄想跟你快樂牧羊

  ➔ Use of "只...就" (only if / just...) to emphasize that the condition is minimal or sufficient for the outcome.

  ➔ "只...就" emphasizes that even with minimal effort or condition, the desired outcome can be achieved.

• 思考遠方得到讚賞

  ➔ Use of "得到" (dédào) to indicate obtaining or achieving something.

  ➔ "得到" indicates that something is achieved or obtained through effort or process.

• 將志願托高 高到奉獻沒有問回報

  ➔ Use of "高到...沒有" (to... without...) to express the extreme degree or manner that lacks certain conditions, like asking for return.

  ➔ "高到...沒有" expresses an extreme degree to the point of lacking usual conditions like expectation of return or reciprocity.