Simple Love Song – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: RubberBand

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the nuances of Cantonese expression through RubberBand's "Simple Love Song." This track is a fantastic entry point for language learners as it plays with the concept of simplicity versus complexity in love, a universal theme. The lyrics offer a glimpse into the poetic and often indirect ways of expressing deep emotions in Cantonese, making it a culturally rich and musically engaging learning experience.

[English]

What reaction counts as being moved? My soul drifts away

Whoever speaks, I can't hear clearly, standing unsteady

Genuine, beautiful feelings

Only I perceive them, just missing the tactile touch

Haven't seen the truth; it's already been handed over

Or maybe I love this person so much, that leaving is just my way of forgiving

I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

Hope for a perfect ending, giving my all isn't proportional

Yet in the end, I'm abandoned

How can complicated love be understood as simple?

Hard to guarantee a lifetime of wasted effort

...

Can't sleep, my mind replays this cold dawn

Loving someone always feels so turbulent, so breathtaking

Standing in a love triangle, pure misfortune

Everyone sacrifices fiercely

Haven't seen the truth; it's already been handed over

Or maybe I love this person so much, that leaving is just my way of forgiving

Oh, I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

Hope for a perfect ending, giving my all isn't proportional

Yet in the end, I'm abandoned

How can complicated love be understood as simple?

Writing love songs until pain rises up, eh umm

Oh, I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

Hope for a perfect ending, giving my all isn't proportional

Yet in the end, I'm abandoned

How can complicated love be understood as simple?

Hard to guarantee a lifetime of wasted effort

Oh

...

[Chinese]

甚麼反應算是動心 飄遠了靈魂

誰人說話總聽不到站也不穩

真切美麗情感

獨我一人 有所聞 只欠觸碰質感

未看到真相 早已被轉讓

或當我很愛這對像 離開只叫我原諒

I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

很想結局完美 付出不依正比

最尾卻被掉棄

繁複的戀愛又怎知愛是簡單的道理

難保一世白費心機

睡不好腦裡又重溫 這冷冷凌晨

和誰愛著總太曲折動魄驚心

三角佇立情感 純粹不幸

每一人 都也壯烈犧牲

未看到真相 早已被轉讓

或當我很愛這對像 離開只叫我原諒

Oh, I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

很想結局完美 付出不依正比

最尾卻受被掉棄

繁複的戀愛又怎知愛是簡單的道理

情歌寫到陣痛泛起 eh umm

Oh, I can't write simple love songs

Just can't write simple love songs

很想結局完美 付出不依正比

最尾卻受被掉棄

繁複的戀愛又怎知愛是簡單的道理

難保一世白費心機

Oh

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
動心 (dòngxīn) /tʊŋ˥ ɕin˥/ B2	verb - to be touched; to have one's feelings stirred
靈魂 (línghún) /liŋ˧˥ xʊn˧˥/ B1	noun - soul; spirit
說話 (shuōhuà) /ʂwo˥ xwa˥/ A1	verb - to speak; to talk
情感 (qínggǎn) /t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˥ kàn˧˥/ B1	noun - feeling; emotion
觸碰 (chùpèng) /t͡ʂʰu˥˩ pʰɤŋ˥˩/ B2	verb - to touch
真相 (zhēnxiàng) /ʈ͡ʂən˥ ɕi̯ɑŋ˥˩/ B2	noun - truth; the real situation
轉讓 (zhuǎnràng) /ʈ͡ʂwän˧˥ ʐɑŋ˥˩/ B2	verb - to transfer; to make over (property)
離開 (líkāi) /li˧˥ kʰaɪ̯˥/ A2	verb - to leave; to depart
原諒 (yuánliàng) /y̯ɥɛn˧˥ li̯ɑŋ˥˩/ B1	verb - to forgive
結局 (jiéjú) /t͡ɕi̯ɛ˧˥ ʈ͡ʂɥy˧˥/ B1	noun - ending; conclusion
完美 (wánměi) /wän˧˥ meɪ̯˨˩/ B2	adjective - perfect
付出 (fùchū) /fu˥˩ t͡ʂʰu˥/ B1	verb - to pay; to expend
掉棄 (diàoqì) /ti̯ɑʊ˥˩ t͡ɕʰi˥˩/ B2	verb - to abandon; to discard
戀愛 (liàn'ài) /li̯ɛn˥˩ aɪ̯˥˩/ A2	verb - to be in love; love affair
道理 (dàolǐ) /taʊ˥˩ li˨˩/ A2	noun - reason; argument; sense
白費 (báifèi) /paɪ̯˧˥ feɪ˥˩/ B2	verb - to waste; futile
心機 (xīnjī) /ɕin˥ t͡ɕi˥/ C1	noun - scheming; machinations; calculation
曲折 (qūzhé) /t͡ɕʰy˥ ʈ͡ʂɤ˧˥/ B2	adjective - tortuous; complicated
犧牲 (xīshēng) /ɕi˥ ʂɤŋ˥/ B2	verb - to sacrifice
陣痛 (zhèntòng) /ʈ͡ʂən˥˩ tʰʊŋ˥/ C1	noun - labor pains

Key Grammar Structures

• I can't write simple love songs

  ➔ Modal verb 'can't' + base verb 'write'

  ➔ Uses the modal verb 'can't' to express inability or impossibility.

• Just can't write simple love songs

  ➔ Adverb 'just' + modal verb 'can't' + base verb

  ➔ 'Just' emphasizes the limit or simplicity of the inability.

• 最尾卻被掉棄

  ➔ Passive voice construction with '被' + verb

  ➔ The phrase indicates the action is being done to the subject by someone else.

• I can't write simple love songs

  ➔ Subject + modal verb 'can't' + base verb

  ➔ The structure expresses the inability of the subject to perform the action.

• 繁複的戀愛又怎知愛是簡單的道理

  ➔ Question word '又怎知' (how could we know) + '愛是簡單的道理' (love is simple logic)

  ➔ Uses question words and rhetorical structure to express skepticism about understanding love.