怯 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 容祖兒

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depth of Joey Yung's classic, "怯" (Qiè), a song that beautifully expresses the universal fear and timidity often associated with the early stages of love. By exploring its Cantonese lyrics, you can learn common vocabulary related to emotions, relationships, and daily anxieties, while appreciating the poetic nuances of one of Hong Kong's most celebrated lyricists, Albert Leung. Its heartfelt melody and relatable theme make it a perfect song to connect with the language on an emotional level.

[English]

I really wish you'd stay up late with me

But I'm afraid you've heard my voice too many times

How could I ask you to be happy all the time just for me

And I blame you, you see your friends more than you see me

I look forward to your flowers blooming, but honestly I hate waiting

I'm afraid that real love might hurt, maybe tomorrow we’ll part ways

So clueless about how to love

Why am I already afraid of heartbreak before even my first kiss

Thinking about you after our dates

I’m so silly, I overly hope for tomorrow

I thought you’d be right in front of me

Why do I want to start a fight before we’ve even argued

Facing your tests every day

For the first time, I worry I don’t have what it takes to impress you

Suspecting that everything's my fault, but I haven't realized

Knowing that one-sided love is risky, but I haven't escaped yet

If first love is shallow, how could I be so excited and passionate

But still afraid of everything

...

Every day I can’t sleep, fearing that my energy will disappear and cling to you

But it’s said that loving beautifully shouldn’t mean fearing death

How could I love you so much that I’d give myself entirely to you

Yet I fear your gratitude might turn into guilt

Why am I already afraid of heartbreak before my first kiss

Thinking about you after our dates

I’m so silly, I overly hope for tomorrow

I thought you’d be right in front of me

Why do I want to start a fight before we’ve even argued

Facing your tests every day

Still worried I don't have the strength to see it through

Heard that over-understanding can lead nowhere

Knowing that one-sided love is dangerous, but I haven't escaped yet

If first love is shallow, why do I feel so excited and passionate

But still afraid of everything

...

Knowing that one-sided love is risky, but I haven't escaped yet

If first love is shallow, how could I be so excited and passionate

I want everything, I fear everything

...

[Chinese]

很想要求你會三更半夜陪著我

然而我怕 我的聲音你已聽得太多

怎麼可能要你每次開心快樂全為我

還怪你 你跟知已也見得比我多

期待你的花會開 其實自己也都討厭期待

恐怕正式真實戀愛 痛恨明日也許分開

這麼不知所謂怎麼愛

為何還沒有初吻便要怕失戀

約會末完便掛念

傻得我晚上過份期求明天

以為你會在眼前

為何還沒有吵架 便要與你開戰

每日面臨你考驗

頭一次顧慮我沒動人條件

懷疑全是我問題 沒發現

明知單戀驚險 但我還末脫險

如果初戀膚淺 怎麼我會興奮狂熱

但卻又什麼都怯

天天失眠 我怕消失氣力纏著你

然而據說 愛得精彩別要貪生怕死

怎麼可能愛你愛到將我自己捐給你

還怕你會將感激變成對不起

為何還沒有初吻便要怕失戀

約會末完便掛念

傻得我晚上過份期求明天

以為你會在眼前

為何還沒有吵架 便要與你開戰

每日面臨你考驗

還擔心我沒氣力去到終點

還聽講過分瞭解沒發展

明知單戀驚險 但我還末脫險

如果初戀膚淺 怎麼我會興奮狂熱

但卻又什麼都怯

明知單戀驚險 但我還末脫險

如果初戀膚淺 怎麼我會興奮狂熱

什麼都想 什麼都怯

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
怕 (pà) /pʰâ/ A1	verb - to fear, to be afraid of
聲音 (shēngyīn) /ʂɤ́ŋ.ín/ A2	noun - voice, sound
開心 (kāixīn) /kʰái.ɕín/ A1	adjective - happy, joyful
快樂 (kuàilè) /kʰwài.lɤ̂/ A1	adjective - happy, joyful
怪 (guài) /kwâɪ/ B1	verb - to blame, to reproach
花 (huā) /xwā/ A1	noun - flower
戀愛 (liàn'ài) /ljên.âɪ/ B1	verb - to be in love, to have a love affair noun - love, romance
痛恨 (tònghèn) /tʰôŋ.xə̂n/ C1	verb - to bitterly hate, to detest
愛 (ài) /âɪ/ A1	verb - to love noun - love
失戀 (shīliàn) /ʂɨ́.ljên/ B2	verb - to be jilted, to be disappointed in love noun - broken heart
掛念 (guàniàn) /kwâ.njên/ B2	verb - to miss, to worry about
傻 (shǎ) /ʂà/ A2	adjective - foolish, silly
吵架 (chǎojià) /ʈʂʰàʊ.tɕjâ/ A2	verb - to quarrel, to argue
開戰 (kāizhàn) /kʰái.tʂân/ B2	verb - to start a war, to begin a conflict
條件 (tiáojiàn) /tʰjáu.tɕjên/ B1	noun - condition, requirement
問題 (wèntí) /wə̂n.tʰǐ/ A1	noun - question, problem
單戀 (dānliàn) /tán.ljên/ B2	verb - to have a crush on, to love someone unilaterally noun - unrequited love
驚險 (jīngxiǎn) /tɕíŋ.ɕjɛ̀n/ B2	adjective - dangerous, perilous
初戀 (chūliàn) /ʈʂʰú.ljên/ B1	noun - first love
興奮 (xīngfèn) /ɕíŋ.fə̂n/ B1	adjective - excited
狂熱 (kuángrè) /kʰwǎŋ.ʐə̂/ C1	adjective - fanatical, fervent
失眠 (shīmián) /ʂɨ́.mjěn/ B2	verb - to suffer from insomnia
氣力 (qìlì) /t͡ɕʰî.lî/ B2	noun - strength, energy
纏 (chán) /t͡ʂʰǎn/ B2	verb - to twine, to harass
精彩 (jīngcǎi) /t͡ɕíŋ.tsʰài/ B1	adjective - brilliant, splendid
感激 (gǎnjī) /kǎn.t͡ɕí/ B2	verb - to be grateful, to appreciate
擔心 (dānxīn) /tán.ɕín/ A2	verb - to worry
瞭解 (liǎojiě) /ljàʊ.tɕjě/ B1	verb - to understand

Key Grammar Structures

• 很想要求你會三更半夜陪著我

  ➔ Using the verb structure "很想 + verb" to express a strong desire.

  ➔ The phrase "很想" means "really want to" and emphasizes a strong desire.

• 怎麼可能要你每次開心快樂全為我

  ➔ Using "怎麼可能" to question the possibility or improbability of an action.

  ➔ The expression "怎麼可能" means "how is it possible" and questions the feasibility of something.

• 期待你的花會開

  ➔ Using "會" to express future possibility or ability.

  ➔ The particle "會" indicates that something is likely to happen or a future possibility.

• 明知單戀驚險 但我還末脫險

  ➔ Using "明知" to mean "knowing well" that something is the case, combined with "但" to mean "but".

  ➔ The word "明知" means "knowing well" or "be aware that", expressing awareness of the situation.

• 還擔心我沒氣力去到終點

  ➔ Using "還" to mean "still" or "again", indicating continuation or persistence.

  ➔ The word "還" means "still" or "yet", emphasizing ongoing action or state.

• 如果初戀膚淺 怎麼我會興奮狂熱

  ➔ Using "如果" to mean "if", introducing conditional sentences.

  ➔ The conjunction "如果" means "if" and introduces a conditional clause.