千紙鶴 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 方大同
• Album: 回到未來

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the beauty of Mandarin through Khalil Fong's '千紙鶴' (One Thousand Paper Cranes). This song is a perfect starting point to learn how language can paint vivid pictures, blending everyday objects like 'coffee' with profound cultural symbols like 'ink wash paintings' and 'reincarnation.' Its unique fusion of Western R&B and Eastern poetics makes it a special piece for appreciating the nuances of lyrical expression.

[English]

Another cup of coffee, reminiscing about so much

So many details, like your pouting lips, smiling farewell

Outside the window, neon lights intersect

Illuminating the whole street, I quietly understand the feeling without you

Paper cranes, you gently fold them, like the casual joy of jazz

At this moment, the water is clear, the distant wheat fields golden

Paper cranes, the story is still warm, we sing songs casually

I walk by, the shepherd's flute gently plays, love has come to this point, smiling without argument

Oh, the feeling of ink wash painting, one page, the feeling of a butterfly from a past life

One page, the cycles of countless lifetimes in this mortal world, writing again, this life's fate is still tilted

If time could rewind, give me another chance

What reason to give? You just say you don't love me anymore, thinking it solves everything

Empty perfume, dried roses

Asked all night long, you lazily go wild, saying explaining is tiring

Paper cranes, you gently fold them, like the casual joy of jazz

Perhaps letting you leave is just another way of loving you

Paper cranes, the story is still warm, we sing songs casually

I walk by, the shepherd's flute gently plays, love has come to this point, smiling without argument

Oh, the feeling of ink wash painting, one page, the feeling of a butterfly from a past life

One page, the cycles of countless lifetimes in this mortal world, writing again, this life's fate is still tilted

Your beauty wanders between two eras

Two different aesthetics, is that era still there?

Two different expectations, I finally understand

Whether you love me or not is unexpected, shouldn't wait

You don't love me means leaving, means not coming back

Moss spreads across the steps, reaching the mottled ancient walls

The setting sun shines, you're waiting for the lotus to bloom on the water

And I prefer us just staying in this quiet state

Paper cranes, the story is still warm (paper cranes, a thousand times of happiness)

Paper cranes, given by you (paper cranes, a thousand times of happiness, still loving)

You made a choice, love freezes, I also decided to let go of the paper cranes

The story is still warm, we sing songs casually (paper cranes) I walk by, the shepherd's flute gently plays, love has come to this point, smiling without argument (sing a thousand times, joy of flying across the sky)

Oh, the feeling of ink wash painting, one page, the feeling of a butterfly from a past life

One page, the cycles of countless lifetimes in this mortal world, writing again, this life's fate is still tilted

...

[Chinese]

咖啡 再續杯 回想 這一切好多

的細節 譬如妳嘟嘴 微笑的離別

窗外 的世界 霓虹 在交會

繽紛 整條街 我安靜了解 沒妳的感覺

紙鶴 妳溫柔對摺 如爵士樂般隨性的快樂

此刻 水清澈 遠方的麥田金黃色

千紙鶴 故事還溫熱 隨性的 我們唱起歌

我走過 牧笛聲輕吹著 那愛情走到這 微笑不爭了

Oh 山水潑墨的感覺 一頁 彩蝶前世的感覺

一頁 紅塵幾世的輪迴 再寫 今生緣份還是傾斜

時間 若倒退 再次 給機會

理由 怎麼給 妳一句不愛了 以為就解決

空了 的香水 乾掉 的玫瑰

問了 一整夜 妳慵懶撒野 說解釋很累

紙鶴 妳溫柔對摺 如爵士樂般隨性的快樂

或許 讓妳離去 只是換個方式 愛妳

千紙鶴 故事還溫熱 隨性的 我們唱起歌

我走過 牧笛聲輕吹著 那愛情走到這 微笑不爭了

Oh 山水潑墨的感覺 一頁 彩蝶前世的感覺

一頁 紅塵幾世的輪迴 再寫 今生緣份還是傾斜

妳的美遊走在兩個世代

兩個不同美學那種年代在不在

兩種不同期待 我終於明白

妳愛不愛都意外 不應該等待等

妳不愛 就是離開 就是不回來

台階上整遍青苔蔓延到了斑駁的古牆

太陽西曬 妳在等水面上的芙蓉花開

而我偏愛我們就處在這安靜的狀態

千紙鶴 故事還溫熱（紙鶴 一千次快樂）

千紙鶴 是妳給的（紙鶴 一千次快樂 還愛著)

妳做了選擇愛情停格 我也決定割捨千紙鶴

故事還溫熱 隨性的 我們唱起歌（千紙鶴）我走過 牧笛聲輕吹著 那愛情走到這 微笑不爭了（唱一千次的歌 凌空 飛過 的快樂）

Oh 山水潑墨的感覺 一頁 彩蝶前世的感覺

一頁 紅塵幾世的輪迴 再寫 今生緣份還是傾斜

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
咖啡 /kāfēi/ A1	noun - coffee
微笑 /wēixiào/ A2	verb - to smile
世界 /shìjiè/ A1	noun - world
感覺 /gǎnjué/ B1	noun - feeling
故事 /gùshì/ A2	noun - story
愛情 /àiqíng/ B1	noun - love
選擇 /xuǎnzé/ B2	verb - to choose
時間 /shíjiān/ A1	noun - time
玫瑰 /méiguī/ A2	noun - rose
快樂 /kuàilè/ A1	adjective - happy
離開 /líkāi/ B1	verb - to leave
美 /měi/ A1	adjective - beautiful
狀態 /zhuàngtài/ B2	noun - state
方式 /fāngshì/ B1	noun - way
感覺 /gǎnjué/ B1	noun - feeling
回想 /huíxiǎng/ B2	verb - to recall

Key Grammar Structures

• 咖啡 再續杯 回想 這一切好多 的細節 譬如妳嘟嘴 微笑的離別

  ➔ Adjective + 的 + Noun

  ➔ The grammar structure "adj. + 的 + noun" modifies the noun with the adjective. Here, "好多" (hǎo duō - many) modifies "細節" (xìjié - details).

• 窗外 的世界 霓虹 在交會

  ➔ Subject + 在 + Verb

  ➔ "在" (zài) indicates an ongoing action. Here, "霓虹 在交會" (níhóng zài jiāohuì) means "The neon lights are intersecting."

• 或許 讓妳離去 只是換個方式 愛妳

  ➔ 只是 (zhǐshì) - just, only

  ➔ "只是" (zhǐshì) emphasizes the limited scope or nature of the action. Here, it emphasizes that letting her go is "just" a different way of loving her.

• 妳的美遊走在兩個世代 兩個不同美學那種年代在不在

  ➔ 遊走在 (yóuzǒu zài) - wandering in/between

  ➔ "遊走在" (yóuzǒu zài) describes the beauty as floating or existing in between two eras. It conveys a sense of not being fixed or confined to one specific period.

• 妳愛不愛都意外 不應該等待等

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis (等待等 - waiting and waiting)

  ➔ The repetition of "等待" (děngdài - waiting) emphasizes the futility and prolonging nature of waiting for someone who may not love you back. It highlights the point that it's not worth waiting endlessly.

• 台階上整遍青苔蔓延到了斑駁的古牆

  ➔ 蔓延到 (mànyán dào) - Spread to

  ➔ "蔓延到" (mànyán dào) describes the action of the moss spreading and extending towards the old wall. It conveys a sense of gradual and pervasive growth.