蒲公英的约定 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 周杰倫

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic and emotional journey with Jay Chou's "蒲公英的约定" (Dandelion's Promise). This classic Mandopop ballad offers a rich tapestry of poetic lyrics that delve into themes of youthful friendship, unrequited love, and nostalgic memories. Through its evocative storytelling and Jay Chou's distinctive vocal style, listeners can grasp the nuances of Chinese expressions related to love, longing, and the passage of time. The song's melodic beauty and deeply relatable narrative make it an excellent choice for anyone looking to connect with Chinese language and culture through music.

[English]

Dandelions beside the school fence

Are the scenery with a taste of memory

The sound of cicadas coming from the playground at noon

Still sounds beautiful after all these years

Folding wishes into paper planes and sending them as letters

Because we couldn't catch that shooting star

Seriously flipping a coin to decide our fate

But not knowing where it might lead us

Our childhood promise, so clear

The mark I believe in

Said we'd travel together, that’s still your now

The only thing you stubbornly hold onto

...

Standing in the corridor, being punished for hitting your palm

But we paid attention to the dragonflies by the window

Wherever I go, you stay close by

Many dreams are waiting to come true

Our childhood promise, so clear

The mark I believe in

Said we'd travel together, that’s still your now

The only thing you stubbornly hold onto

Our childhood promise, so sincere

Endless talks about the past with you

And I can no longer tell if you're friendship

Or a missed love

...

[Chinese]

小學籬芭旁的蒲公英

是記憶裡有味道的風景

午睡操場傳來蟬的聲音

多少年後也還是很好聽

將願望折紙飛機寄成信

因為我們等不到那流星

認真投決定命運的硬幣

卻不知道到底能去哪裡

一起長大的約定 那樣清晰

打過勾的我相信

說好要一起旅行 是妳如今

唯一堅持的任性

在走廊上罰站打手心

我們卻注意窗邊的蜻蜓

我去到哪裡妳都跟很緊

很多的夢在等待著進行

一起長大的約定 那樣清晰

打過勾的我相信

說好要一起旅行 是妳如今

唯一堅持的任性

一起長大的約定 那樣真心

與妳聊不完的曾經

而我已經分不清 妳是友情

還是錯過的愛情

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
蒲公英 /pú gōng yīng/ A2	noun - dandelion
記憶 /jì yì/ B1	noun - memory
風景 /fēng jǐng/ B1	noun - scenery
願望 /yuàn wàng/ B2	noun - wish
流星 /liú xīng/ B2	noun - meteor
命運 /mìng yùn/ B2	noun - destiny
旅行 /lǚ xíng/ A2	noun - travel
約定 /yuē dìng/ B1	noun - agreement
清晰 /qīng xī/ B2	adjective - clear
堅持 /jiān chí/ B2	verb - to persist
任性 /rèn xìng/ B2	adjective - willful
夢 /mèng/ A2	noun - dream
曾經 /céng jīng/ B1	noun - once; formerly
友情 /yǒu qíng/ B1	noun - friendship
愛情 /ài qíng/ B1	noun - love; romance

Key Grammar Structures

• 是記憶裡有味道的風景

  ➔ Possessive particle "的" to indicate possession or attribution

  ➔ "的" links nouns to show possession or description, functioning like the 's' or 'of' in English.

• 我們卻注意窗邊的蜻蜓

  ➔ Use of contrastive particle "卻" to highlight contrast with previous clause

  ➔ "卻" is a conjunction used to show contrast or opposition between two clauses, similar to 'yet' or 'but' in English.

• 說好要一起旅行 是妳如今

  ➔ Use of the structure "說好..." to express an agreement or promise made earlier

  ➔ "說好" means "to agree or promise" to do something in the past, emphasizing an obligation or pact.

• 我已經分不清 妳是友情 還是錯過的愛情

  ➔ Use of "分不清" to express inability to distinguish or tell apart

  ➔ "分不清" means "cannot tell the difference" or "be unable to distinguish" between two things.

• 很多的夢在等待著進行

  ➔ Progressive aspect "在等待著" to indicate ongoing action

  ➔ "在等待著" combines "在" (indicating ongoing action) with "等待" (to wait) and the aspect particle "著" to emphasize continuous action.