漂向北方 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 黃明志, 王力宏

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with "漂向北方" (Stranger in the North), a modern Mandarin classic that offers a unique window into contemporary Chinese society and the struggles of migrant workers. Its compelling narrative, combining powerful rap and melodic vocals, provides rich vocabulary related to urban life, migration, and emotions. Learning the lyrics will not only enhance your Chinese comprehension but also deepen your understanding of a significant social phenomenon, making this song a special and immersive way to connect with the language and culture.

[English]

Lyrics: Namewee Composer: Namewee Arrangement: Xiao Qixian

Drifting North

Don't ask where I'm from

The towering ancient city walls

Can't block the sorrow

I'm drifting North

Are my family safe and sound?

The heavy luggage on my shoulders

Is filled with melancholy

Some say he owes money back home

Needs to lie low for a while

Some say he mastered martial arts but has no chance to show them off

Some have lost themselves

Lost and drifting aimlessly

Some are chasing dreams, some are struggling to make ends meet

He lives in Yanjiao District

In a dilapidated apartment for job seekers

Inside the crowded building

Piled with strangers all from out of town

He buries himself in writing resumes

Harboring so many dreams

Commuting on Route 930

Hoping for a miracle inside (holding back tears)

Don't listen, don't think

The regret of not daring to look back (hiding the wound)

Shouldering the dream

Determined to wander (look up)

Wrote down pride and halo

How glorious the past was (under the setting sun)

Even with the most miserable defeat

You can't surrender (my dear)

Goodbye, South

Looking at the most beautiful hometown (in the distance)

Coconut trees swaying

Illusions reflected in dreams (this city)

The smog is too rampant, it won't dissipate

Can't see the road ahead (too lost)

I'm drifting North

Don't ask where I'm from

The towering ancient city walls

Can't block the sorrow

I'm drifting North

Are my family safe and sound?

The heavy luggage on my shoulders

Is filled with melancholy

It's also the last hope

♫♫♫

The distant place I can't return to, Oh

The air is too dirty, too polluted

He says he doesn't like it

The traffic is too chaotic, too rushed

He's not used to it yet

Pairs of people on the sidewalk, one after another

Sideways, cold glances

He often gets himself drunk

Forcing himself to fit into this melting pot

Staggering as he walks

The Erguotou liquor is swaying

Disappointed people occasionally fall drunk in those hutong alleys

Chewing fried tripe and mutton hotpot

Holding a bowl of hot soup in his hands

Warmly and powerfully

Warming the unease in his heart (holding back tears)

Don't listen, don't think

The regret of not daring to look back (hiding the wound)

Shouldering the dream

Determined to wander (look up)

Wrote down pride and halo

How glorious the past was (under the setting sun)

Even with the most miserable defeat

You can't surrender (my dear)

Goodbye, South

Looking at the most beautiful hometown (in the distance)

Coconut trees swaying

Illusions reflected in dreams (this city)

The smog is too rampant, it won't dissipate

Can't see the road ahead (too lost)

I'm drifting North

Don't ask where I'm from

The towering ancient city walls

Can't block the sorrow

I'm drifting North

Are my family safe and sound?

The heavy luggage on my shoulders

Is filled with melancholy

Like dust scattering with the wind

Who can lead me to fly together?

I stand in the center of the Temple of Heaven and close my eyes

Praying for the safety of my whole family

I'm drifting North

Don't ask where I'm from

The towering ancient city walls

Can't block the sorrow

I'm drifting North

Are my family safe and sound?

The heavy luggage on my shoulders

Is filled with melancholy

I stand at the foot of the Emperor (I'm drifting North)

Gasping for breath, being stepped on (Don't ask where I'm from)

Walking on Qianmen Street with the crowds

There will always be divergences (The towering ancient city walls)

Maybe I don't belong here at all

Should have left long ago (Can't block the sorrow)

Who can give me the fatal blow?

Please, do it completely (I'm drifting North)

This is the center of dreams

But dreams are all out of reach (Are my family safe and sound?)

This is the sacred place for fulfilling dreams

But it's always confusing and elusive (The heavy luggage on my shoulders)

How many people can't withstand the cruel reality

And disappear from then on (Is filled with melancholy)

How many people fall into a coma

Leaving behind an empty shell (It's also the last hope)

Rest In Peace

The distant place I can't return to, Oh

Drifting North

♫♫♫

Don't ask where I'm from anymore

♫♫♫

...

Lyrics: Namewee Composer: Namewee Arrangement: Xiao Qixian

[Chinese]

作词:黃明志 作曲:黃明志 编曲:萧启贤

漂向北方

别问我家乡

高耸古老的城墙

挡不住忧伤

我漂向北方

家人是否无恙

肩上沉重的行囊

盛满了惆怅

有人说他在老家欠了一笔钱

需要避避风头

有人说他练就了一身武艺却没机会崭露

有人失去了自我

手足无措四处漂流

有人为了梦想为了三餐养家糊口

他住在燕郊区

残破的求职公寓

拥挤的大楼里

堆满陌生人都来自外地

他埋头写着履历

怀抱着多少憧憬

往返在九三零号公路

内心盼着奇迹 (忍着泪)

不听也不想

不敢回头望的遗憾 (掩着伤)

扛下了梦想

要毅然决然去流浪 (抬头看)

写下了自尊 光环

过去多风光 (着斜阳)

就算再不堪 败仗

也不能投降 (亲爱的)

再见了南方

眺望最美丽的家乡 (在远方)

椰子树摇晃

梦境倒映的幻想 (这城市)

雾霾太猖狂 不散

都看不清前方 (太迷惘)

我漂向北方

别问我家乡

高耸古老的城墙

挡不住忧伤

我漂向北方

家人是否无恙

肩上沉重的行囊

盛满了惆怅

也是最后寄望

♫♫♫

回不去的远方 Oh

空气太脏 太浑浊

他说不喜欢

车太混乱 太匆忙

他还不习惯

人行道一双又一双

斜视冷漠眼光

他经常将自己灌醉

强迫融入 这大染缸

走着脚步蹒跚

二锅头在摇晃

失意的人啊偶尔醉倒在那胡同陋巷

咀嚼爆肚涮羊

手中盛着一碗热汤

有力地 温暖着

内心的不安 (忍着泪)

不听也不想

不敢回头望的遗憾 (掩着伤)

扛下了梦想

要毅然决然的流浪 (抬头看)

写下了自尊 光环

过去多风光 (着斜阳)

就算再不堪 败仗

也不能投降 (亲爱的)

再见了南方

眺望最美丽的家乡 (在远方)

椰子树摇晃

梦境倒映着幻想 (这城市)

雾霾太猖狂 不散

都看不清前方 (太迷惘)

我漂向北方

别问我家乡

高耸古老的城牆

挡不住忧伤

我漂向北方

家人是否无恙

肩上沉重的行囊

盛满了惆怅

就像那尘土飘散随着风向

谁又能带领着我一起飞翔

我站在天坛中央闭上眼

祈求一家人都平安

我漂向北方

别问我家乡

高耸古老的城牆

挡不住忧伤

我漂向北方

家人是否无恙

肩上沉重的行囊

盛满了惆怅

我站在天子脚下 (我漂向北方)

被踩着喘不过气 (别问我家乡)

走在前门的大街 跟人潮

总会分歧 (高耸古老的城牆)

或许我根本不属于这里

早就该离去 (挡不住忧伤)

谁能给我致命的一击

请用力到彻底 (我漂向北方)

这里是梦想的中心

但梦想都远不可及 (家人是否无恙)

这里是圆梦的圣地

但却总是扑朔迷离 (肩上沉重的行囊)

多少人敌不过残酷的现实

从此销声匿迹 (盛满了惆怅)

多少人陷入了昏迷

剩下一具 空壳尸体 (也是最后寄望)

Rest In Peace

回不去的远方 Oh

飘向北方

♫♫♫

别再问我家乡

♫♫♫

作词:黃明志 作曲:黃明志 编曲:萧启贤

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
漂 /pjaʊ/ B1	verb - to float; to drift
北方 /beɪfɑŋ/ A1	noun - north; the northern part of a country
家乡 /dʒjaʃjaŋ/ A2	noun - hometown; native place
城墙 /tʃʰɤŋtɕʰjaŋ/ B1	noun - city wall
忧伤 /joʊʃɑŋ/ B2	noun - sorrow; sadness adjective - sorrowful; sad
家人 /dʒjaɻə/ A1	noun - family members
无恙 /wu2jaŋ4/ B2	adjective - safe and sound; well
行囊 /ɕɪŋnɑŋ/ B2	noun - luggage; baggage
沉重 /tʃʰəntʃʊŋ/ B1	adjective - heavy; weighty
惆怅 /tʃʰoʊtʃɑŋ/ C1	adjective - melancholy; disconsolate
梦想 /muŋɕjɑŋ/ A2	noun - dream; ideal verb - dream of
残破 /tsʰɑnpʰwo/ B2	adjective - dilapidated; broken
拥挤 /wʊŋdʒi/ B1	adjective - crowded; packed
陌生 /mwoʃɛŋ/ A2	adjective - strange; unfamiliar
憧憬 /tɕʰʊŋdʒiŋ/ B2	noun - longing; yearning
雾霾 /wumai/ B1	noun - smog
猖狂 /tʃʰɑŋkʰwɑŋ/ C1	adjective - rampant; unbridled
遗憾 /i2hɑn4/ B2	noun - regret; pity adjective - regretful

Key Grammar Structures

• 别问我家乡 (Bié wèn wǒ jiāxiāng)

  ➔ Imperative sentence with '别 (bié)'

  ➔ '别 (bié)' means 'don't'. It's used to express a prohibition or to tell someone not to do something. Here, it's 'Don't ask about my hometown.'

• 挡不住忧伤 (Dǎng bù zhù yōushāng)

  ➔ Potential complement (Verb + 不/得 + Complement)

  ➔ '挡不住' (dǎng bù zhù) is a potential complement. '挡 (dǎng)' is the verb (to block), '住 (zhù)' is the complement (firmly, stably). '不 (bù)' indicates the inability to perform the action. So, '挡不住忧伤' means 'cannot block the sorrow'.

• 盛满了惆怅 (Shèng mǎnle chóuchàng)

  ➔ Verb + 了 + Complement (Resultative Complement)

  ➔ '盛满了' (shèng mǎnle) is a verb with a resultative complement. '盛 (shèng)' is the verb (to fill), '满 (mǎn)' is the resultative complement (full), and '了 (le)' indicates the completion of the action. It means 'filled to the brim' or 'completely filled'.

• 需要避避风头 (Xūyào bì bì fēngtou)

  ➔ Reduplication of verb indicating a short, light action

  ➔ '避避' (bì bì) is the reduplicated form of '避' (bì), meaning 'to avoid'. The reduplication indicates a light, brief action. So, '需要避避风头' means 'need to avoid the limelight for a bit'.

• 却没机会崭露 (què méi jīhuì zhǎnlù)

  ➔ '却 (què)' indicating contrast

  ➔ '却 (què)' means 'but', 'however', indicating a contrast with the previous statement. He has the skill, *but* he doesn't have the opportunity.

• 往返在九三零号公路 (Wǎngfǎn zài jiǔ sān líng hào gōnglù)

  ➔ Preposition '在 (zài)' indicating location

  ➔ '在 (zài)' means 'at' or 'in', indicating the location where the action '往返 (wǎngfǎn)' (to go back and forth) takes place.

• 就算再不堪 败仗, 也不能投降 (Jiùsuàn zài bùkān bàizhàng, yě bù néng tóuxiáng)

  ➔ '就算...也...' structure indicating concession

  ➔ '就算 (jiùsuàn)... 也 (yě)...' means 'even if... still...'. It expresses concession: even if something is the case, something else remains true. 'Even if the defeat is unbearable, you still can't surrender.'

• 都看不清前方 (Dōu kàn bù qīng qiánfāng)

  ➔ Potential complement with '清 (qīng)' indicating clarity

  ➔ '看不清 (kàn bù qīng)' is a potential complement. '看 (kàn)' is the verb (to see), '清 (qīng)' means 'clearly'. '都 (dōu)' emphasizes that *even with effort*, you can't see clearly. So, '都看不清前方' means 'cannot see the front clearly at all'.