破相 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 容祖兒
• Album: CONCERT YY黃偉文作品展

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the poignant world of Cantonese music with Joey Yung's “破相”. This song delves into the themes of enduring emotional scars and the impact of past hurts, offering a profound look at love and resilience. Discover how the lyrics vividly depict the struggle to overcome past trauma and learn Cantonese through its rich, emotive expressions.

[English]

Listening to jokes, trying to laugh without forcing it

I look in the mirror, clouded with worries on my face

Frowning, others ask me why I look like this

In this joyful scene

Probably because I once ran into a wall

Planting deep old wounds that refuse to heal

A scar—so this is what it's called

A burden left by history

I'm so resilient that I’ve already

Exhausted all my remaining serum, yet time just accepts it

I knew all along I’d grow colder with each day

If so, don’t look for salvation, sit quietly before surrender

The more I laugh, the more scars appear

Leaving traces that show who’s truly unlucky

I no longer remember those bad lovers

Why do tears of suffering carve this sad face so deep

Happiness returns, but unfortunately, I feel I can’t be reborn

Fate has already been messed up—how can I smile

Afraid to disturb the aftershocks on my face

...

That day, he said my eyes knew how to smile

In those ten seconds, my soul was probably sold

But I got eyebrows and a forehead with peach blossoms blooming upside down

My destiny was completely reversed

A smile leaves a mark that’s too deep

Next year, love turns into hatred

Cracks spread from my brow to my heart

My face darkens, cheeks sink

Half my life was burdened by old lovers

If I dare try sweet luck again

The more I laugh, the more scars appear

Leaving traces that show who’s truly unlucky

I no longer remember those bad lovers

Why do tears of suffering carve this sad face so deep

Happiness returns, but unfortunately, I feel I can’t be reborn

Fate has already been messed up—how can I smile

Afraid to disturb the aftershocks on my face

Encountered countless ‘Mr. So-and-So’

Each moment, destiny brushes past, each one sharper than a blade

After cutting through the peak of the sword, I realize my body

Or maybe my heart—ten thousand scars of blood

...

[Chinese]

听笑话 尽量笑得不勉强

我望镜 愁云密布我面上

皱着眉 旁人问我何解这样

在这 愉快的现场

大概因我 从前撞向一道墙

种下了 难缝合旧创伤

破相 原来是要来称呼这样

历史遗下的账

是我 顽强到已经

用尽余下血清 亦是时间认命

早知我 越活越冷清

就别望救星 投降前坐定

(就) 越笑越见疤痕

留了提示谁是极不幸

已不记得那些坏恋人

何以苦泪 竟将这一脸愁容划深

快乐再光临 可惜我没能力重生

命运已乱了 如何笑

怕惊动面上余震

他那天 说我眼睛很会笑

那十秒 灵魂大概已卖掉

却换来 眉头额角桃花倒插着

命书全逆转了

一笑 留痕其实太深

来年 由爱变做恨

裂缝 从眉目裂向心

面色转暗 两颊下陷

被旧爱连累半生

若我敢再次试试蜜运

(就) 越笑越见疤痕

留了提示谁是极不幸

已不记得那些坏恋人

何以苦泪 竟将这一脸愁容划深

快乐再光临 可惜我没能力重生

命运已乱了 如何笑

怕惊动面上余震

遇过无数个某君

段段缘份擦身 段段尤似利刃

刀峰过 至发觉我身

又或是我心 十万道血痕

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
笑 /sʰiao̯/ A1	verb - to smile, to laugh noun - smile, laughter
伤 /ʂaŋ/ B1	noun - wound, injury verb - to wound, to injure
破相 /pʰɔ̂ ɕi̯ɑŋ/ C1	verb - to disfigure (the face)
历史 /li˥ ʂɨ/ B1	noun - history
冷清 /ləŋ˧˥ t͡ɕʰiŋ/ B2	adjective - desolate, lonely
疤痕 /pa˥ hən/ B2	noun - scar
不幸 /pu˥˩ ɕiŋ/ B2	adjective - unfortunate, unhappy noun - misfortune, unhappiness
坏 /xu̯ai/ A2	adjective - bad
快乐 /ku̯ai lɤ/ A1	adjective - happy noun - happiness
重生 /ʈ͡ʂʰʊŋ ʂɤŋ/ C1	verb - to be reborn, to have a new life
命运 /min jʏn/ B1	noun - fate, destiny
眼睛 /jɛn t͡ɕɪŋ/ A1	noun - eye
灵魂 /lɪŋ hʊən/ B2	noun - soul
爱 /ai/ A1	verb - to love noun - love
恨 /hən/ B2	verb - to hate noun - hatred
裂缝 /ljɛ̂ fəŋ/ B2	noun - crack, fissure

Key Grammar Structures

• 我望镜 愁云密布我面上

  ➔ Verb + object + complement structure

  ➔ The phrase '我望镜' uses the verb '望' (to look at) followed by the object '镜' (mirror), demonstrating how the actor performs the action directed at the object.

• 用尽余下血清 亦是时间认命

  ➔ Use of '用尽' + noun + '亦是' + noun to express 'exhausted' and 'time accepts fate'

  ➔

• 早知我 越活越冷清

  ➔ Early conditional phrase '早知' + subject + '越' + comparative degree + verb phrase

  ➔

• 怕惊动面上余震

  ➔ Use of '怕' + verb to express fear or concern about an action

  ➔

• 裂缝 从眉目裂向心

  ➔ Noun + '从' + noun + '裂向' + noun to describe movement or transition

  ➔

• 已不记得那些坏恋人

  ➔ Adverb '已' + negative verb phrase to indicate past negation or forgetting

  ➔

• 留了提示谁是极不幸

  ➔ Verb + 了 + noun + '谁是' + noun to indicate completed action with identification

  ➔