陀飛輪 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: Eason Chan
• Album: Time Flies 時日如飛

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the rich themes of materialism and the value of time with Eason Chan's “陀飛輪”. This song offers a poignant reflection on life's priorities and the pursuit of genuine happiness, making it an excellent choice for those learning Cantonese to understand deeper cultural perspectives and values.

[English]

In the past at eighteen, I didn't wear a watch, but I had time.

Enough for me, without worries, wild and playful.

In the blink of an eye at twenty-seven, time is running out, I dare not be lazy.

Though my grand ambitions are unfinished, it's never too late to strive.

Then suddenly this autumn, looking around, I should have everything.

My fine wine, sports car, camera, and gold watch, all matter.

Until everyone in the world is jealous, still not that wealthy.

Using what I still have to exchange for what I don't, I've actually exhausted all I own.

How many heartbeats have I given?

In exchange for piles of receipts.

People deserve to lose a few seconds of life to buy another watch.

Time is caught tightly, yet my skin has secretly loosened.

Why use it all up, only to realize how important it is?

...

Labor is endless, living is good, no need to rely on material proof.

And not to gain respect through high salary, high position, or luxury goods.

Even if I achieve the status of a lord and the timelessness of Chopin.

Selling my whims, working day and night, forgetting why I was happy.

How many heartbeats have I given?

In exchange for piles of receipts.

People deserve to lose a few seconds of life to buy another watch.

Time is caught tightly, yet my skin has secretly loosened.

Why use it all up, only to realize how important it is?

Remember the lesson about time.

Looking back, the sky has darkened.

You sacrificed ten inches of time and minutes.

Could it be exchanged for ten inches of gold?

How many heartbeats are left?

Faces compared to the crystal watch face.

Even I can't analyze how much I gain or lose.

Maybe I've really gone mad, how ridiculous that reflection is.

If the soul were to be sold, even the chain would have no heartbeat.

Silver or gold doesn't matter, who makes the movement is the same.

Planned, executed, and obtained, yet time is too short.

How many heartbeats are left, still counting, can't catch up.

This moment, I realized, is expensive.

In the watch, I see through a lifetime, so insignificant.

...

[Chinese]

過去十八歲 沒戴錶 不過有時間

夠我 沒有後顧 野性貪玩

霎眼廿七歲 時日無多 方不敢偷懶

宏願縱未了 奮鬥總不太晚

然後突然今秋 望望身邊應該有已盡有

我的美酒跑車相機金錶 也講究

直到世間個個也妒忌 仍不怎麼富有

用我尚有換我沒有 其實已用盡所擁有

曾付出 幾多心跳

來換取 一堆堆的發票

人值得 命中減少幾秒 多買一隻錶

秒速捉得緊了 而皮膚竟偷偷鬆了

為何用到盡了 至知那樣緊要

勞力是無止境 活著多好 不需要靠物證

也不以高薪高職高級品搏尊敬

就算搏到 伯爵那地位和蕭邦的雋永

賣了任性 日拼夜拼 忘掉了為甚麼高興

曾付出 幾多心跳

來換取 一堆堆的發票

人值得 命中減少幾秒 多買一隻錶

秒速捉得緊了 而皮膚竟偷偷鬆了

為何用到盡了 至知那樣緊要

記住那關於光陰的教訓

回頭走天已暗

你獻出了十吋時和分

可有換到十吋金

還剩低 幾多心跳

人面跟水晶錶面對照

連自己 亦都分析不了 得到多與少

也許真的瘋了 那個倒影多麼可笑

靈魂若變賣了 上鏈也沒心跳

銀或金都不緊要 誰造機芯一樣了

計劃了照做了得到了 時間卻太少

還剩低幾多心跳 還在數趕不及了

昂貴是這刻我覺悟了

在時計裏看破一生 渺渺

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
時間 /shíjiān/ A1	noun - time
心跳 /xīntiào/ B1	noun - heartbeat
發票 /fāpiào/ B2	noun - invoice
美酒 /měijiǔ/ B2	noun - fine wine
貪玩 /tānwán/ B2	verb - to be playful or mischievous
奮鬥 /fèndòu/ B2	verb - to strive or struggle
尊敬 /zūnjìng/ B2	noun - respect
機芯 /jīxīn/ C1	noun - movement (of a watch)
計劃 /jìhuà/ B1	noun - plan
光陰 /guāngyīn/ C1	noun - time (often in a poetic sense)
皮膚 /pífū/ B1	noun - skin
富有 /fùyǒu/ B2	adjective - wealthy
任性 /rènxìng/ C1	adjective - willful or capricious
昂貴 /ángguì/ B2	adjective - expensive
教訓 /jiàoxun/ B2	noun - lesson or moral

Key Grammar Structures

• 過去十八歲 沒戴錶 不過有時間

  ➔ 使用否定詞 '沒' + verb to express 'not having done' or 'did not' in past.

  ➔ '沒' is a negation particle used before verbs to indicate the non-occurrence of an action in the past.

• 方不敢偷懶

  ➔ Use of '方不敢' to express 'only then dare not' or 'dare not until'.

  ➔ '方不敢' indicates that someone only dares to act or refrain from doing something after a certain point.

• 用我尚有換我沒有

  ➔ Usage of '用' + pronoun + '尚有' and '沒有' to show 'using what I still have' vs. 'what I don't have'.

  ➔ '用' is a verb meaning 'to use', and combined with pronouns and '尚有' (still have) or '沒有' (do not have) to express possession or lack.

• 還剩低 幾多心跳

  ➔ Use of '還剩低' to indicate 'still remaining' with a measure phrase '幾多' (how many).

  ➔ '還剩低' expresses the idea of 'still remaining' or 'left over', and '幾多' is a measure word asking 'how many' or 'to what extent'.

• 時間卻太少

  ➔ Use of '卻' as a conjunction meaning 'but' or 'yet', contrasting with previous idea.

  ➔ '卻' functions as a contrastive conjunction meaning 'but' or 'yet', highlighting a contradiction or limitation.