清白之年 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 朴樹
• Album: 獵戶星座

Lyrics & Translation

Discover "清白之年" (The Years of Innocence), a masterpiece of poetic Chinese lyricism. This folk-pop gem is perfect for learning emotional, reflective vocabulary related to nostalgia, life's journey, and lost youth. The lyrics are deeply literary and reveal how Chinese songwriters convey complex, universal feelings about growing up.

[English]

...

Before the story began

Before the story began

Before the story began

Those first springs of ours

Sunlight spilled on the poplar trees

The wind blew, shimmering silver

The streets were calm and warm

The streets were calm and warm

The clock ticked so slowly

In those days, I hadn’t yet tasted life’s flavor

My heart hadn’t awakened

Your shirt was as white as snow

Waiting for the poplar leaves to fall

Eyes unblinking

As if words were stirring inside

Let’s not speak of them yet

Awaiting the future, about to make its grand entrance

Awaiting the future, about to make its grand entrance

People drift with the wind

Skies part their ways

Innocent faces forgotten in the dust of life

Innocent faces forgotten in the dust of life

This life, so forced

This life, so forced

This body crosses the vast ocean

This body crosses the vast ocean

Skimming over time’s length, humming vague words

Skimming over time’s length, humming vague words

Skimming over time’s length, humming vague words

Countless passing years

Countless passing years

Faces that seem yet aren’t

Tell me your story

Let me laugh until tears shine

Is life too hard

Or is it vivid and vibrant

Or is it vivid and vibrant

We’re all bruised and battered

Our hearts slowly turning cold

Did you get what you wanted

In exchange for a heart of stone

Is there anyone left

To make you dream again

To make you dream again

...

The strong wind has come

We drift with the wind

Innocent faces forgotten in the dust of life

This life, so cold

This life, so cold

This life crosses the vast ocean

This life crosses the vast ocean

Skimming over time’s length, humming vague words

The strong wind has come

We drift with the wind

Clear eyes extinguished in the dust of life

Clear eyes extinguished in the dust of life

Clear eyes extinguished in the dust of life

I want to look back

To tell the story from the start

To tell the story from the start

Time fades, never to return, life won’t come again

[Chinese]

故事开始以前

故事开始以前

故事开始以前

最初的那些春天

阳光洒在杨树上

风吹来 闪银光

街道平静而温暖

街道平静而温暖

钟走得好慢

那是我还不识人生之味的年代

我情窦还不开

你的衬衣如雪

盼着杨树叶落下

眼睛不眨

心里像有一些话

我们先不讲

等待着那将要盛装出场的未来

等待着那将要盛装出场的未来

人随风飘荡

天各自一方

在风尘中遗忘的清白脸庞

在风尘中遗忘的清白脸庞

此生多勉强

此生多勉强

此身越重洋

此身越重洋

轻描时光漫长低唱语焉不详

轻描时光漫长低唱语焉不详

轻描时光漫长低唱语焉不详

数不清的流年

数不清的流年

似是而非的脸

把你的故事对我讲

就让我笑出泪光

是不是生活太艰难

还是活色生香

还是活色生香

我们都遍体鳞伤

也慢慢坏了心肠

你得到你想要的吗

换来的是铁石心肠

可曾还有什么人

再让你幻想

再让你幻想

大风吹来了

我们随风飘荡

在风尘中遗忘的清白脸庞

此生多寒凉

此生多寒凉

此生越重洋

此生越重洋

轻描时光漫长低唱语焉不详

大风吹来了

我们随风飘荡

在风尘中熄灭的清澈目光

在风尘中熄灭的清澈目光

在风尘中熄灭的清澈目光

我想回头望

把故事从头讲

把故事从头讲

时光迟暮不返人生已不再来

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
故事 gùshì B1	noun - story; tale
春天 chūntiān A2	noun - spring (season)
阳光 yángguāng B1	noun - sunlight
风 fēng A1	noun - wind verb - to wind; to wrap around
街道 jiēdào B2	noun - street; road
温暖 wēnnuǎn B2	adjective - warm; cozy
钟 zhōng B2	noun - clock; bell
人生 rénshēng C1	noun - human life; one's life
未来 wèilái B2	noun - future
眼睛 yǎnjīng A1	noun - eye(s)
心里 xīnlǐ A2	noun - in the heart; inside one's mind
话 huà A1	noun - word; speech; talk
脸庞 liǎnpáng C1	noun - face; countenance
时光 shíguāng C1	noun - time; the passage of time
漫长 màncháng B2	adjective - long; prolonged
流年 liúnián C2	noun - passing years; fleeting time
幻想 huànxiǎng B2	noun - fantasy; illusion verb - to imagine; to fantasize
大风 dàfēng B1	noun - strong wind; gale
寒凉 hánliáng C1	adjective - cold; chilly
熄灭 xīmiè B2	verb - to extinguish; to put out

Key Grammar Structures

• 故事开始以前

  ➔ Use of '以前' (before) to indicate time before an action/event.

  ➔ The word '以前' means 'before'. In this line, '故事开始以前' means 'before the story began'.

• 那是我还不识人生之味的年代

  ➔ Structure '那是...的年代' indicates a reflective description of a past time period.

  ➔ '那是' introduces a past context, '的年代' frames it as a time period. It conveys nostalgia.

• 盼着杨树叶落下

  ➔ Verb + 着 indicates continuous or ongoing state; here '盼着' means 'constantly looking forward to'.

  ➔ The suffix '着' marks continuous action. '盼着' expresses an ongoing sense of hope or longing.

• 等待着那将要盛装出场的未来

  ➔ '将要' indicates future intention or upcoming event (similar to 'will soon').

  ➔ The phrase '将要' shows expectancy toward the near future. It adds emotional anticipation.

• 人在风中飘荡

  ➔ Subject + 在 + location + Verb structure shows 'doing something at/in location'.

  ➔ '在风中' means 'in the wind', describing the state/place of '飘荡' (floating).

• 此生多勉强

  ➔ Use of '多 + adjective' for emotional emphasis, meaning 'so...' or 'how...'.

  ➔ The phrase '多勉强' expresses emotional lament — 'how forced this life is'.

• 你得到你想要的吗

  ➔ Question particle '吗' forms yes/no questions.

  ➔ '你得到你想要的吗' literally means 'Did you get what you wanted?' — the '吗' confirms it's a question.

• 我们随风飘荡

  ➔ Use of '随' meaning 'to follow' or 'along with' indicates passive or adaptive movement.

  ➔ '随风飘荡' describes being carried or drifting with the wind, emphasizing lack of control.

• 在风尘中熄灭的清澈目光

  ➔ Adjective + 的 + noun structure: '的' links a modifying phrase to a noun.

  ➔ '清澈的目光' means 'clear gaze'. Here '的' connects the adjective '清澈' to the noun '目光'.