忘川 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 陳僖儀

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the emotional depth of Hong Kong's Cantopop with "忘川" by Sita Chan. This song offers a beautiful, melancholic journey through the pain of lost love and the desire for forgetfulness, deeply rooted in Chinese mythology. Learning the lyrics of "忘川" provides a unique window into Cantonese expression of heartbreak and resilience, offering rich vocabulary and cultural nuances, especially through its powerful use of the 'River of Forgetfulness' metaphor. It's a special song not only for its lyrical beauty and Sita Chan's soulful rendition but also for the poignant legacy it holds.

[English]

I forgot, that bell rang throughout the city

All the tears have flowed, fading like the tide

Leaving you, regrets linger for miles

Still thinking of you, yet she is with you

You advise me to be happy, to be happy every day, new love can come at any time

That person far away already has a lover, while I am just a passerby

Past memories thrown into the river, washed away by the tide, no need to search again

Fleeting memories, looking back feels as distant as twilight

Yet the bell by the river sounds so near

...

Often under the illusion, the birds in mid-air are me

Wanting to spread my wings to see you, who knew I would fall into the river in the end

People have already left, yellow leaves drift from afar

Turning back, you are smiling, hiding that unease in your eyes

You advise me to be happy, to be happy every day, new love can come at any time

That person far away already has a lover, while I am just a passerby

Past memories thrown into the river, washed away by the tide, no need to search again

Fleeting memories, looking back feels as distant as twilight

Yet the silhouettes of couples by the bank feel so near

Look, this new moon shines

Or perhaps willingly silently shines on the wrong river

Was my past a mistake? Yet regret is not much

Thank you for your concern, to be happy every day, new love can come at any time

Traveling far away, there are interesting stories, encountering a few passersby

Past memories thrown into the river, washed away by the tide, no need to search again

Fleeting memories, looking back feels as distant as twilight

Yet the silhouettes of couples by the bank feel so near

...

[Chinese]

忘記了 那鐘聲響徹城市

所有淚流過了 能消退就似汐潮

離去你 遺憾留在千千哩

仍然掛念你 奈何她跟你一起

你勸我開心 天天開心 新戀愛隨時光臨

遙遙萬哩那個人 已有愛人 我卻是個路人

前塵投進河裡 隨潮浪沖洗去再別覓尋

流逝回憶 回望如暮色般遙遠

河畔那鐘聲卻又很近

常錯覺 半空的飛鳥是我

想拍翼來看你 誰知最後跌落河

人已別去 黃葉從異鄉飄過

回頭你在笑 埋藏眼內那不安

你勸我開心 天天開心 新戀愛隨時光臨

遙遙萬哩那個人 已有愛人 我卻是個路人

前塵投進河裡 隨潮浪沖洗去再別覓尋

流逝回憶 回望如暮色般極遠

堤岸情侶身影又很近

看 這新月發光

或是自願無言地照在錯的河

過去我算是錯麼 偏偏悔意沒有幾多

多謝你關心 天天開心 新戀愛隨時光臨

遙遙萬哩去遠行 也有趣聞 碰上幾個路人

前塵投進河裡 隨潮浪沖洗去再別覓尋

流逝回憶 回望如暮色般極遠

堤岸情侶身影又很近

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
忘記 /wàngjì/ B1	verb - to forget
鐘聲 /zhōngshēng/ B1	noun - bell sound
城市 /chéngshì/ A2	noun - city
淚 /lèi/ A1	noun - tears
消退 /xiāotù/ B2	verb - to decline; to fade away
潮 /cháo/ A2	noun - tide
離去 /líqù/ B1	verb - to leave; to depart
遺憾 /yíhàn/ B2	noun - regret
掛念 /guàniàn/ B2	verb - to think of; to miss
新戀愛 /xīnliàn'ài/ B1	noun - new love
流逝 /liúshì/ B2	verb - to pass; to fade away (time or memories)
回憶 /huíyì/ A2	noun - memories
暮色 /mùsè/ B2	noun - dusk; twilight
堤岸 /dīàn/ B2	noun - embankment; riverbank
身影 /shēnyǐng/ A2	noun - figure; shadow

Key Grammar Structures

• 所有淚流過了

  ➔ Use of the particle "過" indicating experiential aspect or completion of an action.

  ➔ The particle "過" (guò) is used after a verb to indicate that the action has been experienced or completed in the past.

• 仍然掛念你

  ➔ Use of the adverb "仍然" to mean "still" or "yet," conveying persistence or continuation.

  ➔ "仍然" (réngrán) is an adverb indicating that an action or state continues to be the case despite possible change or time passing.

• 前塵投進河裡

  ➔ Use of the verb "投進" to describe "throwing into" or "casting into" something.

  ➔ "投進" (tóu jìn) is a verb compound meaning "to throw in" or "to cast into," often used figuratively for ideas or emotions.

• 堤岸情侶身影又很近

  ➔ Use of the adjective "很近" to describe proximity, modifying "身影" (figures or silhouettes).

  ➔ "很近" (hěn jìn) is an adjective phrase meaning "very close," used to describe spatial or emotional proximity.