遠征 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: Dear Jane

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey with Dear Jane's powerful song, "遠征." This pop-rock anthem, rich in relatable themes of perseverance and the pursuit of dreams, offers a fantastic opportunity to delve into Cantonese lyrics. Its heartfelt message about overcoming life's long and challenging expeditions makes it a special and motivating piece to connect with the language through emotion and narrative.

[English]

One thought rushes toward heaven

One thought falls back into hell

Faith struggles in circles

Experience passing through thousands of years

Face changing every moment

Fate repeatedly bringing insomnia

Bit by bit, exhausted searching for paradise but found none

When the road reaches its end, how should I plan?

How much further to go? How many more rounds to run?

Far from the goal, suddenly I realize even dreams are about survival

Tired and weary, time flies like an arrow, blood spent but emptiness remains

Learning that so-called detachment only leads to losing control

Life turns out to be not too bad after all

Gains enough joy and song

Yet, I feel there's not much meaning

Missing, holding onto a treasured sword

Test of every stubborn inch

Care and belief, insistence once trusted

Like inch by inch floating through this vast life, enduring all

Why blame myself when snow piles up at my feet?

How much further to go? How many more rounds to run?

Far from the goal, suddenly I realize even dreams are about survival

Tired and weary, time flies like an arrow, blood spent but emptiness remains

But I enjoy this exhaustion, born from my effort

Even if the gap means climbing mountains and crossing waters

Until destiny runs out, I feel I should shatter

Endure through tough times, face it bravely, that’s what it means to be heartful

How much further to go? How many more rounds to run?

Only this kind of distance stems from my love and ideals in constant struggle

Chaos and disorder, just half an inch away, I haven't fully broken free; my legs still connected

Must also hold this inch, breathe without stopping

Refusing to give up, I walk out of the abyss

...

[Chinese]

一念 奔向天國

一念 墮回地獄

信念 掙扎中兜轉

經驗 過渡萬年

嘴臉 分秒的變

際遇 屢遇上失眠

而逐寸逐寸 歷盡萬辛找不到樂園

路到盡處 要怎打算

還要走多遠 還要兜多圈

離目標很遠 才驟覺理想也講生存

疲又倦 光陰似箭 花光了血 補不了缺

學會所謂那灑脫 反失方寸

生活 終算不錯

收獲 足夠笙歌

意義 竟覺得不多

想念 執過寶劍

考驗 一寸執意

掛念 信奉過堅持

如逐寸逐寸 茫茫浮生經得起陸沉

何以自怨 腳邊積雪

還要走多遠 還要兜多圈

離目標很遠 才驟覺理想也講生存

疲又倦 光陰似箭 花光了血 補不了缺

但我享受這虛脫 出於心血

儘管差距就算攀山涉水

直到氣數也都早已盡了 我該粉碎

能挨下去 難面對 是心虛

還要走多遠 還要兜多圈

唯獨這種遠 源自我愛跟理想周旋

凌又亂 只差半寸 我未完全 雙腳未斷

亦要守住這一寸 一息不斷

不甘志短 走出深淵

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
奔向 /bēn xiàng/ B2	verb - to run towards, to head for
墮回 /duò huí/ C1	verb - to fall back, to revert to
掙扎 /zhēngzhá/ B2	verb - to struggle
經驗 /jīngyàn/ B1	noun - experience
過渡 /guòdù/ B2	verb - to transition, to pass through
嘴臉 /zuǐliǎn/ C1	noun - countenance, face (often with a negative connotation)
際遇 /jìyù/ C1	noun - chance encounter, fate, fortune
失眠 /shīmián/ B2	verb - to suffer from insomnia
歷盡 /lìjìn/ C1	verb - to experience fully, to go through all sorts of hardships
樂園 /lèyuán/ B2	noun - paradise
目標 /mùbiāo/ A2	noun - target, goal
理想 /lǐxiǎng/ B1	noun - ideal, aspiration
生存 /shēngcún/ B1	verb - to survive
疲 /pí/ A2	adjective - tired, weary
倦 /juàn/ B1	adjective - weary, tired of
光陰 /guāngyīn/ B2	noun - time
心血 /xīnxuè/ B2	noun - painstaking effort, heart and soul
差距 /chājù/ B1	noun - gap, disparity
粉碎 /fěnsuì/ B2	verb - to shatter, to crush
深淵 /shēnyuān/ C1	noun - abyss, deep gorge

Key Grammar Structures

• 一念奔向天國

  ➔ Use of 以+verb to indicate purpose or direction

  ➔ "奔向" combines a verb with a direction to express heading toward

• 一念墮回地獄

  ➔ Use of 一念 + verb to indicate a momentary action or decision

  ➔ "一念" indicates a momentary thought or decision that can lead to different outcomes

• 信念掙扎中兜轉

  ➔ Use of noun + 在 + noun to indicate being in a state or process

  ➔ "掙扎中" combines the verb with "在" to indicate ongoing struggle or being in a state of conflict

• 路到盡處 要怎打算

  ➔ Use of 到+place to indicate arrival at a place

  ➔ "到" is a directional particle indicating reaching a destination

• 還要走多遠 還要兜多圈

  ➔ Use of 還要 + verb to express continuation or additional action

  ➔ "還要" indicates that the action will continue or needs to be repeated

• 離目標很遠 才驟覺理想也講生存

  ➔ Use of 才 to indicate that something happens only after some time or condition

  ➔ "才" emphasizes that an event happens only after a specific point or condition

• 不甘志短 走出深淵

  ➔ Use of 不甘 + verb to express unwillingness or not wanting to

  ➔ "不甘" conveys the idea of unwillingness or resistance to accept a situation or to give up