一時的選擇 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 林俊傑, JJ Lin

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the beautiful Mandarin ballad "一時的選擇" by JJ Lin, a song that encourages reflection on life-changing decisions and the enduring power of connection. Learning the lyrics of this emotionally rich track can help you explore nuanced expressions of gratitude and introspection in Mandarin Chinese, while appreciating JJ Lin's signature heartfelt vocal delivery.

[English]

In the blink of an eye, dawn is breaking

I still toss and turn

Could it be that I actually

am not as imagined

Happy

There's no time to brake

And I rush here in a hurry

The whole road is winding

Even the bumps are forgotten

I don't know how far this body can still go

how far it can travel

If all I have left is tonight

what can I leave behind?

Even if I'm just a fleeting choice for you

a passing traveler in youth

a moment that once moved us

I feel it deeper than anyone else

Maybe you'll never understand

how unique you are to me

Only you are truly real

Thinking of you, I wrote this song

Stealing your joys and angers

mixing them with my sorrows and joys

and I keep on singing

I'm the night sky, you're the Milky Way

Now it's complete when you sing along

No matter how bitter, I'm confident I can smile

We all know this flesh will eventually dry up

Everything will finally wither away

While I still have tonight

I want to shout out loud

Even if I'm just a fleeting choice for you

a passing traveler in youth

a moment that once moved us

I feel it deeper than anyone else

Maybe you'll never understand

how unique you are to me

Only you are truly real

Thinking of you, I wrote this song

Stealing your joys and angers

mixing them with my sorrows and joys

and I keep on singing

Your story

soothes my sorrows

Outside the window, the sky

brightens

[Chinese]

轉眼天要亮了

我還輾轉反側

會不會其實我

沒想像中

快樂

來不及踩剎車

就匆匆來到這

一路上曲折

顛簸也忘了

不曉得這身軀殼

還能走多遠呢

如果我只剩今夜

我能留下什麼

就算我只是你的一時間的選擇

青春裡的過客

有過感動的片刻

我比誰都深刻

可能你永遠不懂得

你對我多獨特

唯有你才是真的

我想著你寫下了這首歌

偷你的喜怒

加上我的哀樂

一直唱著唱著

我是夜空你是銀河

終於完整了當有你來唱和

再多苦澀我有把握笑著

都曉得這身軀殼

一切終將乾涸

趁著我還有今夜

我想大聲的說

就算我只是你的一時間的選擇

青春裡的過客

有過感動的片刻

我比誰都深刻

可能你永遠不懂得

你對我多獨特

唯有你才是真的

我想著你寫下了這首歌

偷你的喜怒

加上我的哀樂

一直唱著唱著

有你的故事

安撫我的哀樂

窗外天色

亮了

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
選擇 xuǎn zé A2	noun - choice
青春 qīng chūn A2	noun - youth
過客 guò kè B2	noun - passerby
感動 gǎn dòng C1	noun - emotion verb - to move or touch emotionally
片刻 piàn kè A2	noun - moment
喜怒 xǐ nù B2	noun - joys and sorrows
銀河 yín hé B2	noun - galaxy
軀殼 qū ké B1	noun - body and shell
歌 gē A1	noun - song verb - to sing
夜空 yè kōng B1	noun - night sky
完整 wán zhěng B1	adjective - complete
苦澀 kǔ sè B2	adjective - bitter
獨特 dú tè B2	adjective - unique
深刻 shēn kè B2	adjective - profound
來不及 lái bu jí A2	verb phrase - too late
忘了 wàng le A1	verb - to forget
留下 liú xià A2	verb - to leave behind
寫下 xiě xià A2	verb - to write down
唱 chàng A1	verb - to sing
安撫 ān fǔ B2	verb - to soothe
乾涸 gān hé B2	verb - to dry up

Key Grammar Structures

• 會不會其實我 沒想像中 快樂

  ➔ Rhetorical yes‑no question with 會不會

  ➔ The phrase "會不會" introduces a **rhetorical question**, showing the speaker’s doubt about whether they are truly happy.

• 來不及踩剎車 就匆匆來到這

  ➔ Result clause with 來不及… 就…

  ➔ "來不及" means *unable to act in time*. The pattern **來不及… 就…** shows a rapid consequence: *Because I couldn't brake, I arrived here hurriedly*.

• 如果我只剩今夜

  ➔ Conditional clause with 如果

  ➔ "如果" introduces a **hypothetical condition**: *If only this night remains for me…*

• 就算我只是你的一時間的選擇

  ➔ concessive clause with 就算

  ➔ "就算" means *even if*. It introduces a **concessive meaning**: *Even if I am only a temporary choice for you…*

• 我比誰都深刻

  ➔ Comparative structure with 比…都

  ➔ "比…都" intensifies the comparison: *I am more profound **than anyone else***.

• 我想著你寫下了這首歌

  ➔ Verb‑object construction with 想著 (thinking about)

  ➔ "想著" combines the verb 想 (to think) with the aspect particle 著, indicating a **continuous mental action**: *I’m thinking of you while writing this song*.

• 一直唱著唱著

  ➔ Progressive aspect with 一直…著 and verb reduplication

  ➔ "一直" means *continuously*. Combined with the progressive marker 「著」 and the reduplication 「唱著唱著」, it emphasizes **ongoing, repeated singing**.

• 一切終將乾涸

  ➔ Future marker 終將 (will inevitably)

  ➔ "終將" combines "終" (end) and "將" (will), forming a **strong future certainty**: *Everything will eventually dry up*.