我們沒開始 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 周興哲
• Album: 幾乎是愛情

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the poetic beauty of Mandarin through Eric Chou's “我們沒開始.” This song offers a gentle exploration of complex emotions, using beautiful and accessible language to tell a story of unrequited love. It's a great opportunity to learn how to express nuanced feelings in Mandarin, wrapped in a beautiful melody that has touched many hearts.

[English]

It's probably for the best that we never started.

The past is always ongoing.

What's too intense needs to be diluted.

Let the future belong to its own time.

Time always reveals the flaws in love.

We poured our hearts into it, without holding back.

No one could stop it.

Even if it's unforgettable, subtract the youthful recklessness,

And it becomes a distant memory.

Every "perfect match" in this world has a "but,"

It doesn't let you hold on.

The happiness we borrowed wasn't small.

It's just a pity we never started.

We each have our own angels now.

Talking about the past can only be like telling a story.

Leave me in a line of lyrics.

That's quite honorable.

Reminiscing often makes separation seem more refined.

The same days, but with a different subject,

Have a new interpretation.

To be able to walk away with minor wounds,

Is what I long for.

Our story returns to its original state,

Simple support.

In a different form, we'll grow old together.

Don't regret that we never started.

As if a lifetime has passed, only now do I understand.

But I know that year's stubbornness

Was not childish.

The same days, but with a different subject,

Have a new interpretation.

To be able to walk away with minor wounds,

Is what I long for.

Our story returns to its original state,

Simple support.

In a different form, we'll grow old together.

Don't regret that we never started.

Don't regret us.

[Chinese]

也還好 我們沒開始

過去永遠在進行式

太過濃烈的需要稀釋

未來還給當時 　

時間總能挑出愛的錯別字

用盡了心思 不分彼此

沒人能阻止

縱使再難忘 減去輕狂

就成了遠方

世上的合適 都有可是

不讓人堅持

預支的幸福 也不算少

只可惜 我們沒開始

已擁有各自的天使

說往事只能像故事

把我留在某一句歌詞

的確很有面子

追憶常把分離修得更別緻

同樣的日子 換了主詞

有新的解釋

能帶著輕傷 走向他方

是我的嚮往

我和你的事 回歸原始

單純的支持

換一種形式 一起到老

別可惜 我們沒開始

恍如隔世 到現在 才懂事

但我知道 那年的偏執

不是幼稚

同樣的日子 換了主詞

有新的解釋

能帶著輕傷 走向他方

是我的嚮往

我和你的事 回歸原始

單純的支持

換一種形式 一起到老

別可惜 我們沒開始

別可惜 我們

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
開始 /kāi shǐ/ A1	verb - to begin
過去 /guò qù/ A1	noun - the past
未來 /wèi lái/ A1	noun - the future
時間 /shí jiān/ A1	noun - time
愛 /ài/ A1	noun - love
幸福 /xìng fú/ A2	noun - happiness
堅持 /jiān chí/ A2	verb - to persist
天使 /tiān shǐ/ A2	noun - angel
分離 /fēn lí/ B1	noun - separation
解釋 /jiě shì/ B1	noun - explanation
嚮往 /xiàng wǎng/ B2	verb - to yearn for
原始 /yuán shǐ/ B2	adjective - original
偏執 /piān zhí/ C1	adjective - obsessive
輕狂 /qīng kuáng/ C1	adjective - reckless
面子 /miàn zi/ B1	noun - face, dignity
減去 /jiǎn qù/ B1	verb - to subtract

Key Grammar Structures

• 也還好 我們沒開始

  ➔ 还好 (hái hǎo) structure: Meaning "fortunately", "luckily", "it's a good thing that..."

  ➔ The line uses "还好" to express relief that the relationship never started. The implication is that starting it would have led to negative outcomes that they avoided. "也" here adds emphasis.

• 過去永遠在進行式

  ➔ Using 在 (zài) + verb to indicate continuous action or state.

  ➔ The phrase "在進行式" (zài jìnxíngshì) literally translates to "in progress form." Combined with the noun "過去 (guòqù)" (past), it implies that the past is always actively shaping the present, or its effects are ongoing.

• 用盡了心思 不分彼此

  ➔ 了 (le) used to indicate a completed action or a change of state.

  ➔ "用盡了心思" means "used up all the heart/effort". 了 indicates the effort has been completely exhausted.

• 縱使再難忘 減去輕狂 就成了遠方

  ➔ 縱使 (zòngshǐ) - even if, even though; Supposition

  ➔ This line uses "縱使" (zòngshǐ) to introduce a hypothetical situation. "減去輕狂" acts as a condition. If you subtract the impulsiveness and recklessness (輕狂) from something, even a memorable (難忘) experience, it becomes distant (遠方).

• 預支的幸福 也不算少

  ➔ 也 (yě) - also, too; used for emphasis or to indicate 'not even'

  ➔ Here, "也" emphasizes that even the happiness that was "borrowed" or "anticipated" (預支的幸福) was not a small amount. It implies that the speaker had at least some significant positive feelings, despite things not working out.

• 說往事只能像故事

  ➔ 只能 (zhǐ néng): can only; can but; only able to.

  ➔ "只能" here expresses limitation. The speaker is saying that the past events can *only* be talked about as if they are detached stories, implying a lack of emotional connection or ability to revisit them in a more intimate way.

• 把我留在某一句歌詞 的確很有面子

  ➔ 的確 (díquè) - indeed; really; certainly; sure enough

  ➔ "的確" strengthens the idea. While being immortalized in a song lyric seems positive, the overall tone of the song suggests a bittersweetness. The speaker acknowledges it's a nice thing ("很有面子") but also implies it's a limited form of connection.