遗憾效应 – English Lyrics

• By: WayV
• Album: On My Youth

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the emotive storytelling of WayV's '遗憾效应 (On My Youth)' and use its introspective lyrics to learn Mandarin. This song is special because it offers a mature and relatable perspective on youth and regret, with a unique musical style that blends balladry and hip-hop. By exploring the lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to emotions, memories, and personal growth, all while enjoying a beautifully crafted piece of music.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
youth /juːθ/ B1	noun - the period of being young, especially the period between childhood and adulthood.
regret /rɪˈɡrɛt/ B1	noun - a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done. verb - feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done).
mistake /mɪˈsteɪk/ A2	noun - an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong.
blame /bleɪm/ B1	verb - feel or declare that (someone or something) is responsible for a fault or wrong. noun - responsibility for a fault or wrong.
past /pɑːst/ A2	noun - the time or a period of time before the moment of speaking or writing. adjective - gone by in time and no longer existing.
future /ˈfjuːtʃər/ A2	noun - the time yet to come.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of deep affection. verb - feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone).
pain /peɪn/ A2	noun - highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury, or a feeling of emotional distress.
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ A2	adjective - (of an object) damaged or injured by being broken; (of a person or their spirit) emotionally shattered.
scar /skɑːr/ B2	noun - a mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely; a lasting effect of a past error or trauma.
linger /ˈlɪŋɡər/ B2	verb - stay in a place longer than necessary because of a reluctance to leave; remain present for a long time.
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B1	noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.
rotten /ˈrɒtən/ B2	adjective - suffering from decay; decaying or decayed; (figurative) morally corrupt or bad.
deep /diːp/ A2	adjective - extending a long way down from the top or surface; (figurative) intense or profound.
hesitate /ˈhɛzɪteɪt/ B2	verb - pause before saying or doing something, especially through uncertainty or reluctance.
elevate /ˈɛlɪveɪt/ B2	verb - raise or lift (something) to a higher position; (figurative) raise to a more important or impressive level.
miscommunicate /ˌmɪskəmˈjuːnɪkeɪt/ B2	verb - communicate unsuccessfully; fail to convey information or ideas clearly or correctly.
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ B1	noun - the complete absence of sound; a period of no communication or speaking.
absence /ˈæbsəns/ B2	noun - the state of being away from a place or person; the non-existence or lack of something.
crumble /ˈkrʌmbəl/ B2	verb - break or fall apart into small fragments, especially as a result of decay; (figurative) collapse emotionally or fall apart.

Key Grammar Structures

• If I could return to that place

  ➔ Hypothetical Conditional (Type 2/Modal with 'could')

  ➔ The structure "If + subject + "could" + base verb" expresses a hypothetical ability or a wish in the present or future that is unlikely or impossible. It sets up an unreal condition.

• To make it whole again

  ➔ Infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The infinitive form "to + base verb" is used here to explain the reason or purpose behind an action (e.g., "If I could return... *why?* "To make" it whole again).

• Now is too late to grow up, For you

  ➔ `too + adjective/adverb + to-infinitive` structure

  ➔ This structure indicates that something is excessive to the point where it prevents a desired action or outcome. Here, "too late" means it's beyond the point where growing up can still be effective for the relationship.

• wanna make those scars go away

  ➔ Causative verb `make + object + bare infinitive`

  ➔ The causative verb "make" followed by an object and a bare infinitive (verb without "to") means to force or cause someone/something to do something. Here, it refers to causing the scars to "go away" (disappear).

• I can’t even walk right

  ➔ Modal verb of inability with intensifying adverb `even`

  ➔ "Can't" expresses inability. The adverb "even" is used for emphasis, highlighting an extreme or unexpected degree of inability, suggesting that something very basic or simple "cannot be done".

• Can't repent on what youth's done

  ➔ `What` as a relative pronoun (meaning "the thing(s) that")

  ➔ Here, "what" functions as a relative pronoun that means "the thing(s) that" or "anything that." It refers to something unspecified or the sum of actions/events. It acts as both the antecedent and the pronoun.

• Walking with my back turned, hesitating

  ➔ Present participle clauses

  ➔ Present participle clauses (verb + "-ing") are used to describe an action that occurs simultaneously with the main verb's action, or to provide more information about the subject. Here, "Walking" and "hesitating" describe the state/action of the subject.

• Shouldn't have covered my mistakes with silence

  ➔ Modal perfect `shouldn't have + past participle` (regret/criticism)

  ➔ This structure is used to express regret or criticism about something that happened (or didn't happen) in the past. It suggests that a different action "would have been better".

• Your eyes have become cold

  ➔ Present Perfect for a change of state

  ➔ The present perfect is used here to describe a change that started in the past and has continued or has a result evident in the present. "Have become" indicates a transformation over time that is still relevant now.

• Though I don't want this to end

  ➔ Concessive clause introduced by `though`

  ➔ "Though" is a concessive conjunction similar to "although" or "even though." It introduces a clause that presents a fact or idea that contrasts with the main clause, indicating a concession or an unexpected situation.