揸緊中指 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: LMF

Lyrics & Translation

Learning Cantonese through '揸緊中指' offers a unique window into Hong Kong's vibrant and rebellious youth culture. The song's clever wordplay and raw, unfiltered lyrics provide a powerful lesson in how language can be used to express frustration and challenge the status quo. It's a special song because it encapsulates a specific moment of social consciousness in Hong Kong, making it a valuable cultural and linguistic artifact.

[English]

Microphone check, listen carefully

Clear sound marching straight into your mind

I've always known that freedom is something to defend

No matter the cost, even if we're still at a disadvantage

Corrupt businessmen and crooked officials are best at controlling

The truth is right before our eyes, there's no point in blacking out or deceiving

We haven't fallen, our heads haven't been cut off

As long as there's rule of law, we're still unafraid

Sometimes we have to step up to fight for justice

But this song isn't about politics

Let me tell you, the more chaotic the world gets

The more open-minded we need to be

Come On

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy to handle

Raise your middle finger, it’s not as simple as you think

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy

Hold up your middle finger, it’s not as easy as you imagine

I don't agree with everything you say

But I will defend it, even if it means dying with my eyes closed

I don’t believe in the so-called need for restraint

Justice will prevail, stability ranks above all

We refuse to bow to money, we are not afraid to speak out

Seeing the wealthy shout the loudest, justice is about fighting against everything

Not afraid to expose falsehoods, warning this corrupt world

Won't feel lonely, fighting for freedom is worth it

I know there’s no absolute right or wrong in the world

But let me tell you, I don’t need to take it personally

I get angry, but no need to overreact

Crap reporting, can’t be mistaken for taking a stance

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy

Raise your middle finger, it’s not as simple as you think

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy

Hold up your middle finger, it’s not as easy as you imagine

...

Don’t give up, hold on till the end

Freedom must be upheld, we rely on you

(One equality, one freedom)

No matter the sacrifice, I stand by my truth with my middle finger

No freedom is worse than death

Compromise, the only ones who lose are you

(Cannot tolerate the world turning into this)

No matter the sacrifice, I hold up my middle finger

One equality, one freedom

Cannot tolerate why the world has become like this

Constant struggle, too many cunning voices

For the word freedom, countless innocents have sacrificed

One equality, one freedom

Fighting for freedom, continuously challenging power

Refusing to let fate decide, freedom has no class or wealth

Equality and freedom should belong to every person

...

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy

Raise your middle finger, it’s not as simple as you think

One, two, two fingers

The meaning is only about freedom

All fighters, none of them are that easy

Hold up your middle finger, it’s not as easy as you imagine

One, one, two, two, two fingers

Liberty, the two words of freedom

All fighters who have nothing left

Raise your middle finger

...

[Chinese]

Considering what the world is now

with all the misery

conflict

destructive brutality

aggression

and so on

man is still as you are

is still brutal

violent

aggressive

acquisitive

competitive

and he has built a society

along these lines

Microphone Check One 夠起耳朵聽真

清晰嘅聲音向你腦袋進軍

生息嘅聲音向你腦袋進軍

一直都知道自由係要捍衛

不惜一切就算我哋依然處於弱勢

奸商加狗官最叻係玩機制

事實擺在眼前就冇人玩乜嘢黑蒙藏

強勢未倒下頭顱未被斬下

有法治一日我哋依然不怕

迫不得已大量要出嚟伸張正義

但係呢首歌嘅內容並無牽涉到政治

我話你知個世界愈係動盪

我哋嘅思維就更加要懂得開放 Come On

一二 兩隻手指

二 就只有自由兩個字

一 無所有嘅鬥士

揸緊中指 咪你諗住容易

一二 兩隻手指

二 就只有自由兩個字

一 無所有嘅鬥士

揸緊中指 咪你諗住容易

我並應承同你講晒一切一切

但我會捍衛 即使死不瞑閉

並唔認為你所謂嘅需要克制

會帶嚟公平穩定壓倒一切

唔屈服於錢幣 唔怕俾佢照肺

見權貴一樣照肺 正義係唔顧一切

唔怕揭穿虛偽 住渦繼續擎製

唔會感到孤獨 為自由跋涉一世

我知道世事有絕對嘅對與錯

但係我哋你亦無需要對號入座

我憤怒你啲樣要大驚小怪

亂咁報導 唔可以當做表態

一二 兩隻手指

二 就只有自由兩個字

一 無所有嘅鬥士

揸緊中指 咪你諗住容易

你不要放棄堅持到尾

自由要接棒 我哋要靠曬你哋

One 平等一個 Freedom

不管犧牲幾多 揸緊中指我道你不知

無自由 毋寧死

妥協最後 失敗者只會是你

不能容忍個世界解咩變屎

犧牲幾多 揸緊中指我道你不知

One 平等一個 Freedom

為自由追尋 同權力繼續繼續抗衡

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
自由 /t͡sɨ̀.jǒʊ/ B1	noun - freedom, liberty
捍衛 /hân wêi/ B2	verb - defend, safeguard
弱勢 /jwô ʂɨ/ C1	noun - vulnerable group, disadvantaged adjective - weak, disadvantaged
事實 /ʂɨ̀.ʂʰɨ̌/ B1	noun - fact
頭顱 /tʰǒʊ.lǔ/ C2	noun - head (formal)
法治 /fà.ʈ͡ʂi/ B2	noun - rule of law
正義 /ʈ͡ʂə̂ŋ.î/ B2	noun - justice, righteousness
動蕩 /tʊ̂ŋ.tâŋ/ C1	adjective - turbulent, unstable
思維 /sí.wéi/ B2	noun - thinking, thought
鬥士 /tɤʊ̯.ʂɪ/ B2	noun - fighter, warrior
屈服 /t͡ɕʰý.fú/ B2	verb - yield, surrender
權貴 /kʰwǎn.kwêi/ C1	noun - powerful and influential people
虛偽 /ɕý.wèi/ B2	adjective - hypocritical, false
犧牲 /ɕí.sɤ́ŋ/ B2	verb - sacrifice noun - sacrifice
平等 /pʰǐŋ.tɤ̌ŋ/ B1	noun - equality
狡猾 /t͡ɕjàʊ̯.xwá/ B2	adjective - cunning, sly

Key Grammar Structures

• 我並唔認同你講嘅一切一切

  ➔ Negation with "並唔" combined with the verb "認同" (to agree).

  ➔ "並唔" is used to negate the verb, emphasizing disagreement or rejection.

• 揸緊中指

  ➔ Using the verb "揸緊" (to hold tightly) with the noun "中指" (middle finger) to indicate a metaphorical gesture of defiance or protest.

  ➔ The phrase "揸緊中指" metaphorically symbolizes defiance or protest by holding the middle finger.

• 不自由 毋寧死

  ➔ Using the comparative phrase "毋寧死" (better dead than), which emphasizes the importance of freedom over life without liberty.

  ➔ "毋寧死" expresses a preference for death over living without freedom, emphasizing the value of liberty.

• 自由要接捧

  ➔ Using the verb "接捧" (to support or hold up) metaphorically to express the idea that freedom must be upheld or supported.

  ➔ The phrase "自由要接捧" metaphorically emphasizes that freedom needs to be supported and upheld actively.

• 我知道世事冇絕對嘅對與錯

  ➔ Using the phrase "冇絕對嘅" (not absolute) to qualify "對與錯" (right and wrong), indicating that concepts of right and wrong are not fixed.

  ➔ The phrase indicates that ideas of right and wrong are subjective and not fixed or absolute.

• 平等自由應該屬於 每一個人

  ➔ Using "應該" (should) to express moral obligation or normative suggestion that equality and freedom belong to everyone.

  ➔ "應該" conveys a normative or moral expectation that a certain principle (like equality and freedom) is the rightful condition for everyone.