最愛是誰 My Dearest – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 張國榮
• Album: Salute

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a heartfelt journey through the intricacies of love and longing with Leslie Cheung's poignant Cantopop classic, "最愛是誰 (My Dearest)." Learning Cantonese through this song offers a unique window into the emotional depth of the language, enriched by its poetic lyrics and Leslie's unparalleled expressive delivery. You'll grasp evocative phrases that explore themes of regret, devotion, and the eternal question of true love, making it a special and culturally resonant piece to learn.

[English]

In this world, I searched for a lover

I found one, just wishing to be together

Yet half a lifetime has passed in our time together

And now I’m filled with regret

I left her, all because of you

Holding onto love, yet holding onto guilt

Who knew your heart would now be shattered

Yet she remains in my dreams

Why, after parting, do I still wish to follow you

Why, when we face each other, is it so calm like water

I ask, how do we go on? Why can’t I guess right

What is love? In truth, my dearest is only you

Let each day pass like fog

In silence, let the cold wind blow

Who is my greatest love in this life

The answer is absolutely clear

...

I left her, all because of you

Holding onto love, yet holding onto guilt

Who knew your heart would now be shattered

Yet she remains in my dreams

Why, after parting, do I still wish to follow you

Why, when we face each other, is it so calm like water

I ask, how do we go on? Why can’t I guess right

What is love? In truth, my dearest is only you

...

Let each day pass like fog

In silence, let the cold wind blow

Who is my greatest love in this life

The answer is absolutely clear

...

[Chinese]

在世間 尋覓愛侶

尋獲了 但求共聚

然而共處半生都過去

我偏偏又後悔

別了她 原為了你

留住愛 亦留住罪

誰料伴你的心今已碎

卻有她在夢裏

為何離別了 卻願再相隨

為何能共對 又平淡似水

問如何下去 為何猜不對

何謂愛 其實最愛只有誰

任每天 如霧過去

沉默裏 任寒風吹

誰人是我一生中最愛

答案可是絕對

別了她 原為了你

留住愛 亦留住罪

誰料伴你的心今已碎

卻有她在夢裏

為何離別了 卻願再相隨

為何能共對 又平淡似水

問如何下去 為何猜不對

何謂愛 其實最愛只有誰

任每天 如霧過去

沉默裏 任寒風吹

誰人是我一生中最愛

答案可是絕對

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
愛 ài A2	noun - love verb - to love
心 xīn A1	noun - heart
夢 mèng A2	noun - dream
後悔 hòu huǐ B1	verb - to regret
別 bié A2	verb - to part, to say goodbye
留住 liú zhù B2	verb - to keep, to retain
罪 zuì B1	noun - sin, crime
平淡 píng dàn C1	adjective - plain, bland, unexciting
水 shuǐ A1	noun - water
世間 shì jiān B2	noun - world, human society
愛侶 ài lǚ B2	noun - lover, partner
半生 bàn shēng C1	noun - half a lifetime
過去 guò qù A2	noun - past
相隨 xiāng suí C1	verb - to follow each other, to stay together
離別 lí bié B2	noun - separation, parting
伴 bàn B2	verb - to accompany
問 wèn A1	verb - to ask
任 rèn C1	verb - to let, to assign

Key Grammar Structures

• 在世間 尋覓愛侶

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating location + Verb + Object

  ➔ "在世間" (zai shi jian) - 'in the world' is a prepositional phrase showing location, followed by "尋覓" (xun mi) - 'seek/search' and "愛侶" (ai lv) - 'lover' which is the object of the verb.

• 尋獲了 但求共聚

  ➔ Verb + 了 (perfective aspect) + Conjunctive Adverb + Verb + Object

  ➔ "尋獲了" (xun huo le) - 'found (successfully)', the "了" indicates completed action. "但求" (dan qiu) - 'only hope' is a conjunctive adverb. "共聚" (gong ju) - 'gather together' is the verb and object combined.

• 然而共處半生都過去

  ➔ Adverb + Verb + Time Duration + 都 + Verb + 過去 (past)

  ➔ "然而" (ran er) - 'however' is an adverb. "共處" (gong chu) - 'live together' is the verb. "半生" (ban sheng) - 'half a lifetime' is the time duration. "都過去" (dou guo qu) - 'all passed'. The "都" (dou) emphasizes the entirety of the time that has passed, and "過去" (guo qu) signifies 'passed'.

• 我偏偏又後悔

  ➔ Pronoun + Adverb (unexpectedly) + Adverb (again) + Verb

  ➔ "我" (wo) - 'I' is the pronoun. "偏偏" (pian pian) - 'unexpectedly/contrarily' is the adverb. "又" (you) - 'again' is the adverb. "後悔" (hou hui) - 'regret' is the verb.

• 別了她 原為了你

  ➔ Verb + 了 + Object + Adverb + Preposition + Object

  ➔ "別了她" (bie le ta) - 'left her', with "了" indicating the completion of the action. "原" (yuan) - 'originally' is an adverb. "為了你" (wei le ni) - 'for you' is a prepositional phrase showing reason.

• 留住愛 亦留住罪

  ➔ Verb + Object + Also/Too + Verb + Object

  ➔ "留住愛" (liu zhu ai) - 'keep love', "亦" (yi) - 'also', "留住罪" (liu zhu zui) - 'keep sin/blame'. This structure shows that keeping one thing also means keeping another.

• 誰料伴你的心今已碎

  ➔ Who would have thought (rhetorical question) + Accompanying you + Noun (heart) + Now + Already + Adjective (broken)

  ➔ "誰料" (shui liao) - 'Who would have thought' expresses surprise. "伴你的心" (ban ni de xin) - 'heart accompanying you' (or 'your heart that is with you'). "今已碎" (jin yi sui) - 'now is already broken'. "已" (yi) emphasizes that it is a completed state.

• 卻有她在夢裏

  ➔ But/Yet + Have/Exist + She + In Dreams/Dreaming

  ➔ "卻" (que) - 'but, yet' indicates a contrast. "有她在夢裏" (you ta zai meng li) - 'she exists in my dreams'. Shows the contrast between the broken heart in reality versus the presence of the woman in dreams.