雜技 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 衛蘭, Janice
• Album: WISH (CD+DVD)

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Janice Vidal's “雜技” is a perfect song to dive into the nuances of Cantonese. The lyrics, penned by the masterful Albert Leung, are rich with metaphor and emotional depth, offering a great opportunity to understand how language can be used to express complex feelings. The song’s theme of unrequited love is universal, but the specific imagery of 'acrobatics' provides a unique and memorable way to explore the vocabulary of effort and emotion in Cantonese.

[English]

When I get close, my face is full of dark clouds

Even fools know I turn cold toward you wholeheartedly

You're avoiding my approach, no doubt about it

In the end, I regret deliberately caring more about you

Who knew you'd actually resist my comfort

Like awkwardly bumping into a stranger, I'm so clueless

I just want to see you, but I try to fit in

Though we're not that close, I still care deeply

Your good friends are like my brothers, no regrets

Most importantly, I've even tried to say I sometimes want to be single

To remind you I won’t burden you with too much

Feeling this wronged and forced

Just to gain sympathy and affection

I’m not afraid, I’ll keep loving you forever

Performing acrobatics to please you

Even if I have to change my nature, I want to match you

Exerting devilish charm

Dressed in priestly solemnity that’s hard to catch your attention

Then I pretend to be carefree around you

Stealing happiness, jealous but unable to get it

My fickle and infatuated heart doesn’t even shock you anymore

Crying and performing, pitying myself, you dislike it

Maybe I’ve hit your taboo of disgust

Do I have to say I love you so much I want to die?

Threatening if you refuse, I’ll force you to death

And afraid you’ll abandon me even faster

...

Guess you’ve been serving others recently

Still silent, avoiding getting too close

Fighting life long and wide, just忍忍

Ignoring me, yet forcing myself to smile happily for you

If you don’t want to answer, I’ll never ask

Be careful, thinking I might succeed

Getting rewards for my suffering

I’m not afraid, I’ll keep loving you forever

Performing acrobatics to please you

Even if I have to change my nature, I want to match you

Exerting devilish charm

Dressed in priestly solemnity that’s hard to catch your attention

Then I pretend to be carefree around you

Stealing happiness, jealous but unable to get it

My fickle and infatuated heart doesn’t even shock you anymore

Crying and performing, pitying myself, you dislike it

Maybe I’ve hit your taboo of disgust

Do I have to say I love you so much I want to die?

Threatening if you refuse, I’ll force you to death

And afraid you’ll abandon me even faster

Once boasted about greatness without regret, exchanged for a bit of emotion

Once emphasized that you matter the most, exchanged for some excitement

But after you loved, you won't understand, you won’t think it’s worth understanding

Losing hope and no one sings your praises

Having tried every way possible to win you over

Every trick I used to please you

Even if I have to change my heart, I want to match you

Exerting devilish charm

Dressed in priestly solemnity that’s hard to catch your attention

Then I pretend to be carefree around you

Stealing happiness, jealous but unable to get it

My fickle and infatuated heart doesn’t even shock you anymore

Crying and performing, pitying myself, you dislike it

Maybe I’ve hit your taboo of disgust

Do I have to say I love you so much I want to die?

Threatening if you refuse, I’ll force you to death

All just to get a bit of dignity

...

[Chinese]

當我靠近 臉上盡是密雲

傻人都知一心對我降溫

你在迴避我親近 沒疑問

最後悔 試過故意對你倍加關心

誰知你竟會抗拒我的慰問

彷彿尷尬地撞到路人 我這樣笨

只想見你但是盡量合群

明明相交不深我也上心

你良朋像我兄弟 沒遺憾

最重要 我試過說偶爾也想單身

提醒你不會揹上太多責任

委屈到這樣造作

只想博到同情與好感

我不怕 死心不息愛你

表演討好的雜技

不惜更改性格都想配合你

施展魔鬼的嫵媚

加起修女莊嚴難以令你在意得到轉機

然後我 假裝瀟灑對你

偷歡偷不到妒忌

花心癡心竟然同樣不震撼你

哭泣表演可憐你嫌棄

大概正中你厭惡的禁忌

難道要我說我愛到想死

威脅若拒絕我便逼死你

又怕越快被你拋棄

猜想你最近在服侍別人

仍然一聲不響免太貼身

鬥命長亦鬥寬大 只要忍

冷待我 也要勉強對你笑得開心

如果不想答我永遠不會問

小心到以為能夠

得到報答垂憐我苦心

我不怕 死心不息愛你

表演討好的雜技

不惜更改性格都想配合你

施展魔鬼的嫵媚

加起修女莊嚴難以令你在意得到轉機

然後我 假裝瀟灑對你

偷歡偷不到妒忌

花心癡心竟然同樣不震撼你

哭泣表演可憐你嫌棄

大概正中你厭惡的禁忌

難道要我說我愛到想死

威脅若拒絕我便逼死你

又怕越快被你拋棄

曾炫耀偉大無悔換一點感動

曾強調最在乎你換一點激動

而你 愛完了 不會懂 不屑懂

死心不息無人歌頌

曾用盡了種種方式對你

種種討好的雜技

不惜更改性格都想配合你

施展魔鬼的嫵媚

加起修女莊嚴難以令你在意得到轉機

然後我 假裝瀟灑對你

偷歡偷不到妒忌

花心癡心竟然同樣不震撼你

哭泣表演可憐你嫌棄

大概正中你厭惡的禁忌

難道要我說我愛到想死

威脅若拒絕我便逼死你

無非要 要爭一口氣

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
靠近 /kào jìn/ B1	verb - to approach; to get close to
迴避 /huí bì/ B2	verb - to avoid; to evade
關心 /guān xīn/ A2	verb - to care for; to be concerned about noun - care; concern
抗拒 /kàng jù/ B2	verb - to resist; to defy
慰問 /wèi wèn/ B2	verb - to console; to comfort
尷尬 /gān gà/ B2	adjective - awkward; embarrassed
合群 /hé qún/ B2	adjective - gregarious; sociable
上心 /shàng xīn/ B2	verb - to take to heart; to care about
兄弟 /xiōng dì/ A1	noun - brother
單身 /dān shēn/ A2	adjective - single
責任 /zé rèn/ B1	noun - responsibility; duty
委屈 /wěi qū/ B2	adjective - wronged; aggrieved verb - to feel wronged
同情 /tóng qíng/ B1	noun - sympathy verb - to sympathize
討好 /tǎo hǎo/ B2	verb - to ingratiate oneself with; to curry favor
更改 /gēng gǎi/ B2	verb - to change; to alter
配合 /pèi hé/ B1	verb - to cooperate; to coordinate
魔鬼 /mó guǐ/ B1	noun - devil; demon
嫵媚 /wǔ mèi/ C1	adjective - charming; enchanting
莊嚴 /zhuāng yán/ B2	adjective - solemn; dignified
轉機 /zhuǎn jī/ B2	noun - turn for the better; turning point
假裝 /jiǎ zhuāng/ B1	verb - to pretend; to feign
瀟灑 /xiāo sǎ/ B2	adjective - natural and unrestrained
妒忌 /dù jì/ B2	noun - jealousy verb - to be jealous
震撼 /zhèn hàn/ C1	verb - to shock; to vibrate
可憐 /kě lián/ B1	adjective - pitiful; pathetic
嫌棄 /xián qì/ B2	verb - to dislike; to detest
禁忌 /jìn jì/ B2	noun - taboo
威脅 /wēi xié/ B2	verb - to threaten noun - threat
拒絕 /jù jué/ B1	verb - to refuse; to reject
拋棄 /pāo qì/ B2	verb - to abandon; to discard
炫耀 /xuàn yào/ B2	verb - to show off; to flaunt
偉大 /wěi dà/ B1	adjective - great; mighty
感動 /gǎn dòng/ B1	noun - feeling; emotion verb - to move (someone)
激動 /jī dòng/ C1	adjective - agitated; turbulent
歌頌 /gē sòng/ C1	verb - to sing the praises of; to eulogize
服侍 /fú shi/ B1	verb - to serve; to attend to
貼身 /tiē shēn/ B2	adjective - close-fitting; personal
寬大 /kuān dà/ B1	adjective - tolerant; lenient
冷待 /lěng dài/ B2	verb - to treat coldly; to snub
勉強 /miǎn qiǎng/ B1	adjective - reluctant; forced
報答 /bào dá/ B2	verb - to repay; to requite
垂憐 /chuí lián/ C1	verb - to show mercy; to have pity on

Key Grammar Structures

• 只想见你但是盡量合群

  ➔ 虽然...但是... (although...but...)

  ➔ Expresses a contrast between wanting to see someone and trying to conform.

• 我不怕 死心不息愛你

  ➔ 不怕 (not afraid of) + verb, indicating willingness or bravery

  ➔ Shows the person's fearless attitude towards loving someone unconditionally.

• 不惜更改性格都想配合你

  ➔ 不惜 (not hesitate to / be willing to) + verb, indicating willingness to do something difficult

  ➔ Expresses the willingness to change one's personality without hesitation in order to please someone.

• 難道要我說我愛到想死

  ➔ 要我說 (should I say / must I say) + clause, expressing a rhetorical question or doubt

  ➔ A rhetorical question indicating doubt whether one should openly express their love to the extreme point of wanting to die.

• 威脅若拒絕我便逼死你

  ➔ 若...便... (if...then...)

  ➔ Expresses a conditional relationship implying that if the person refuses, the speaker will threaten harm.

• 再炫耀偉大無悔換一點感動

  ➔ 再... (again / further, emphasizes repetition or intensification)

  ➔ Emphasizes repeating or intensifying actions to achieve a different result.

• 死心不息無人歌頌

  ➔ 不息 (not cease / persistent), indicating continuous action

  ➔ Indicates the persistence of feelings or actions without stopping.