雙棲動物 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 蔡健雅

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the nuances of modern relationships through Tanya Chua's “雙棲動物”, a song that beautifully captures the tension between commitment and freedom. Discover how the metaphor of being an 'amphibian' reflects the ability to navigate love and loneliness, enhancing your understanding of contemporary love and Mandarin vocabulary related to emotions and relationships.

[English]

If love is truly a confinement

Why can you love so effortlessly

You say you're born to love solitude

Living together feels too hard sometimes

I'm not like you, a dual-living animal

I can only live in a world filled with love and happiness

The temperature I can adapt to

All revolve around our two-person world

Want to cry, cry helplessly

I can't be alone with myself

You refuse to move back to where we lived before

Even crying doesn't help the pain

I'm trapped in a canyon all alone

Wanting so much but can't reach your comfort

What path lies ahead

It's become so unclear

...

I'm not like you, a dual-living animal

I can only live in the happiness of being with you

The temperature I can survive

All centered around our two-person world

Want to cry, cry helplessly

I can't get along with myself alone

You refuse to move back to where we used to live

Even if I cry, it doesn't help

I'm trapped in a canyon all alone

Wanting so much but can't reach your comfort

What path lies ahead

It's become so unclear

Your footsteps

Are nearby

I keep convincing myself

Even if this love’s hypnosis finally ends

It still leaves me helpless

I can't be alone with myself

You refuse to move back to where we used to live

Even crying doesn't help the pain

I'm trapped in a canyon all alone

Wanting so much but can't reach your comfort

What path lies ahead

It’s become so unclear

...

[Chinese]

愛情如果真的是束縛

為何你能愛得輕鬆自如

你說你天生愛孤獨

兩人生活有點太辛苦

我不像你是雙棲動物

我只能活在充滿愛的幸福

我所能適應的溫度

都是以兩人世界為主

很想哭 哭完無助

我無法和我一個人相處

你不願搬回從前居住

就算哭也一樣沒幫助

我被困在一個人的峽谷

多想要卻要不到你安撫

眼前是什麼路

已看不清楚

我不像你是雙棲動物

我只能活在有你的幸福

我所能適應的溫度

都是以兩人世界為主

很想哭 哭完無助

我無法和我一個人相處

你不願搬回從前居住

就算哭也一樣沒幫助

我被困在一個人的峽谷

多想要卻要不到你安撫

眼前是什麼路

已看不清楚

你的腳步

在不遠處

我反覆將自己說服

就算最終 這一場愛的催眠術

能解除 依然無助

我無法和我一個人相處

你不願搬回從前居住

就算哭也一樣沒幫助

我被困在一個人的峽谷

多想要卻要不到你安撫

眼前是什麼路

已看不清楚

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
愛情 /àiqíng/ A2	noun - love
束縛 /shùfù/ B2	noun - constraint
孤獨 /gūdú/ B1	noun - loneliness
生活 /shēnghuó/ A1	noun - life
幸福 /xìngfú/ A2	noun - happiness
溫度 /wēndù/ B1	noun - temperature
哭 /kū/ A1	verb - to cry
無助 /wúzhù/ B2	adjective - helpless
相處 /xiāngchǔ/ B1	verb - to get along with
困 /kùn/ B2	verb - to trap
峽谷 /xiágǔ/ C1	noun - gorge
安撫 /ānfǔ/ B2	verb - to soothe
腳步 /jiǎobù/ B1	noun - footsteps
說服 /shuōfú/ B2	verb - to persuade
催眠術 /cuīmiánshù/ C1	noun - hypnosis

Key Grammar Structures

• 愛情如果真的是束縛

  ➔ Conditional sentences (if-clause)

  ➔ The phrase uses the structure 'if... then...' to express a condition.

• 我無法和我一個人相處

  ➔ Negative ability (cannot)

  ➔ The phrase expresses the inability to do something.

• 就算哭也一樣沒幫助

  ➔ Even if (concessive clause)

  ➔ This structure is used to express a situation that does not change despite a condition.

• 我被困在一個人的峽谷

  ➔ Passive voice

  ➔ The passive voice is used to indicate that the subject is the recipient of the action.

• 眼前是什麼路

  ➔ Interrogative sentence

  ➔ This structure is used to ask a question about the situation.

• 我反覆將自己說服

  ➔ Repetitive action (repeatedly)

  ➔ This phrase indicates that the action is done multiple times.

• 就算最終 這一場愛的催眠術

  ➔ Concessive clause with a result

  ➔ This structure expresses a situation that may lead to a result despite a condition.