紙牌屋 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 李克勤
• Album: 李克勤精選到無朋友

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a journey of cultural immersion, and Hacken Lee's '紙牌屋' (House of Cards) is a perfect starting point for those interested in Cantonese. The song's introspective and narrative-driven lyrics offer a glimpse into the subtleties of expressing emotions in Cantonese, particularly themes of love, commitment, and resilience. The sophisticated yet accessible vocabulary and the song's heartfelt melody make it a memorable and engaging way to appreciate the beauty of the language.

[English]

In this cruel life, I yearn for a lover to share it with

Do you remember how relaxed you were when you found him?

In this crisis, if sheep learn to cherish their shepherd,

They can always tolerate the pain he inflicts.

Why did you two hold hands and make vows back then?

Please remember the reason at this difficult juncture.

Fight to protect it.

If birds of a feather fear falling halfway,

They must not only share all the beauty,

Love is betting everything together.

How can you bear to abandon the tacit understanding cultivated in this half of your life?

In the rising dust, if the fate between you two is exhausted,

In the second the sky falls, why are you embracing?

Find the original intention in the confusion; time is merciless, perhaps widening the cracks.

No hardship can wash away that courage.

Why did you two hold hands and make vows back then?

Please remember the reason at this difficult juncture.

Fight to protect it.

Build it slowly year after year, even if it's all destroyed.

Have you ever considered that you voluntarily stayed in the house of cards?

Rebuild it in the same place.

Why did you two hold hands and make vows back then?

Please remember the reason at this difficult juncture.

Fight to protect it.

Everyone has let go of their partners and changed positions,

They have all personally shattered the covenant.

Do you suddenly feel ashamed when you look at it?

Then looking back on this half of your life and the tacit understanding you've cultivated,

You can't bear to abandon it.

...

[Chinese]

殘忍的 人生中 渴望有情人與共

可記得 找到他 你曾如何地放鬆

如今的 危機中 要是綿羊學懂珍惜那牧童

總能 包容 他掀起那份痛

從前你倆為甚麼執手起誓

難捱的關口請你記住原委

努力保衛

同林鳥要是害怕半路墜毀

不只要分享所有美麗

愛美在一起賭上一切

難道回望這半生修到默契 忍心作廢

揚起的 塵土中 要是兩人緣已盡

天塌的 一秒鐘 你們為何在抱擁

迷失中 尋初衷 歲月無情或者增加了裂縫

山窮 水窮 沖不走那份勇

從前你倆為甚麼執手起誓

難捱的關口請你記住原委

努力保衛

年年歲歲慢慢砌 縱是盡毀

可想過紙牌屋裡 你自願留低

原地裡再砌

從前你倆為甚麼執手起誓

難捱的關口請你記住原委

努力保衛

人人已放下伴侶 再換下位

通通也親手打破約櫃

你看著有沒突然慚愧

然後回望這半生修到默契

不忍作廢

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
殘忍 /tsʰan³⁵ ɻən³⁵/ B2	adjective - cruel, ruthless
渴望 /kʰɤ³⁵ ʂwaŋ⁵¹/ B2	verb - to yearn for, to long for
放鬆 /faŋ⁵⁵ sʊŋ¹/ A2	verb - to relax
危機 /wei¹ ʨi¹/ B2	noun - crisis
珍惜 /ʈ͡ʂən¹ ɕi¹/ B1	verb - to cherish, to treasure
包容 /pɑʊ¹ t͡sʰʊŋ²/ B2	verb - to forgive, to tolerate
執手 /ʈ͡ʂɨ²¹ ʂoʊ³/ C1	verb - to hold hands (formal, poetic)
起誓 /t͡ɕʰi³³ ʂɨ⁵¹/ B2	verb - to swear, to vow
關口 /kwan¹ kʰoʊ³/ B2	noun - critical moment, crucial stage
保衛 /pɑʊ³ veɪ⁵¹/ B1	verb - to defend, to protect
墜毀 /ʈ͡ʂweɪ⁵¹ xwɛɪ³/ C1	verb - to crash, to be destroyed
默契 /mɤ⁵¹ t͡ɕʰi¹/ B2	noun - tacit understanding, rapport
作廢 /tswo⁵¹ feɪ⁵¹/ B2	verb - to cancel, to invalidate
塵土 /ʈ͡ʂʰən²¹ tʰu³/ B2	noun - dust
緣 /ɥɛn²/ B1	noun - fate, destiny, affinity
塌 /tʰa¹/ B1	verb - to collapse, to fall
裂縫 /ljeɪ⁵¹ fɤŋ⁵¹/ B2	noun - crack, fissure
山窮水窮 /shan¹ t͡ɕʰɥŋ²¹ ʂweɪ³ t͡ɕʰɥŋ²¹/ C2	idiom - at the end of one's rope, in a hopeless situation
約櫃 /ɥœ¹ kwei⁵¹/ C1	noun - Ark of the Covenant
慚愧 /tsʰan² kʰuei⁴/ C1	adjective - ashamed, remorseful

Key Grammar Structures

• 可記得 找到他 你曾如何地放鬆

  ➔ Usage of '如何' to ask 'how' or 'in what way'.

  ➔ "如何" is a formal interrogative word meaning "how" or "in what way".

• 努力保衛

  ➔ Use of verb compound "努力保衛" meaning "to strive to defend".

  ➔ "努力" means to strive or make an effort, and "保衛" means to defend or protect.

• 再換下位

  ➔ Usage of "再" + verb to indicate 'again' or 'repeat' or 'changing to another'.

  ➔ "再" means "again" or "once more" when combined with a verb, often implying repetition or change.

• 難捱的關口請你記住原委

  ➔ Use of the phrase "請你記住" to politely ask someone to remember or keep in mind.

  ➔ "請你記住" literally means "please you remember" and is a polite way of asking someone to keep something in mind.

• 山窮 水窮 沖不走那份勇

  ➔ Use of the phrase "山窮 水窮" meaning "at one's wit's end" or "in dire straits".

  ➔ "山窮 水窮" literally means "mountain exhausted, water exhausted" and figuratively describes being at a dead-end or in extreme difficulty.