搜神記 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 容祖兒

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Joey Yung's '搜神記' is a perfect companion for those learning Cantonese. The song's sophisticated and poetic lyrics, penned by the master lyricist Lin Xi, offer a rich vocabulary and explore profound themes of self-love and empowerment. The eloquent phrasing and emotional depth make it a rewarding challenge for language learners, allowing you to appreciate the beauty and nuances of the Cantonese language while being moved by a timeless story of personal growth.

[English]

Back then, shallow and naive, you showered me with celestial blessings Heaven has eyes

...

Truly clueless, I never realized I should overlook the melting Antarctic no longer with icebergs

Once focused, sharing candlelit dinners with you

Never knew how candles fade away

When your aura dims, more than city fires, what’s the point of being trapped under Mount Wuzhi

Only when miracles fail do we realize how vast the heavens and earth are and how fast they turn

Dreamlike days are just holding hands while shopping

Who’s to blame? Worshiping you

Unable to see clearly, quietly observing the world’s ways

Forget who you are, remember I have my own perspective

No matter how high you rise, your worth is still lower than blue-and-white porcelain

Assess myself only investing in love

Trapped in your tiny universe, losing curiosity about the big world

Who do I remember you as? What sorts of tastes once defined us

As long as I dare to fly far, I can also create my own God-seeking story

Toughening myself up, keeping a perspective higher than separations and reunions

With you, love at most means improving acting skills—just a play

...

In the past, I only understood love’s powerful touch as the most precious

Not yet aware that alleys and streets are filled with splendor

Raise my head, gaze around the world

I’ll also have my own confidence

Forget who you are, remember I have my own insight

No matter how high you are, your worth is still lower than blue-and-white porcelain

Assess myself only investing in love

Trapped in your tiny universe, losing curiosity about the big world

Who do I remember you as? What sorts of tastes once defined us

As long as I dare to fly far, I can also create my own fireworks saga

Toughening myself up, keeping a perspective higher than separations and reunions

With you, love at most means improving acting skills—just a play

Let go of you first, learn to appreciate

From now on, I’ll have my own perspective

No matter how high love reaches, your worth is still lower than blue-and-white porcelain

Assess myself only investing in love

Trapped in your tiny universe, losing the luck to see the big world

Who do I remember you as? What sorts of tastes once defined us

As long as I dare to fly afar, I can also create my own firework story

If God is myself, then with eyes higher than separations and reunions

Flattering you, because in days gone by, my eyes were blind, constantly enlarging you

Want happiness? Only by creating the universe can I truly understand the story of creation

...

[Chinese]

當初膚淺 得你恩寵似升仙 天有眼

當真糊塗 未曾發覺我該俯瞰南極快沒有冰山

當初專心 跟你燭光晚餐

從沒有認識蠟燭怎樣消散

當你的光環 暗過世間火柴何用困在五指山

而神跡失靈才知天大地大轉得快

夢幻的生涯無非拖手逛街

怪得誰 要敬拜你

便沒視力靜觀世態

忘掉誰是你 記住我亦有自己見地

無論你幾高 身價亦低過青花瓷器

評核我自己 只顧投資於愛情

困在你小宇宙損失對大世界的好奇

回味誰是你 往日有甚麼品味

只要敢遠飛 亦能自創我的搜神記

磨練我自己 做人目光高過聚散分離

就憑你 相愛大不了提升演技當做戲

從前只懂情人的感動力量最珍貴

未洞悉小巷大街遍地華麗

昂起頭 看遍世界

我也會有我的氣勢

忘掉誰是你 記住我亦有自己見地

無論你幾高 身價亦低過青花瓷器

評核我自己 只顧投資於愛情

困在你小宇宙損失對大世界的好奇

回味誰是你 往日有甚麼品味

只要敢遠飛 亦能自創我的搜神記

磨練我自己 做人目光高過聚散分離

就憑你 相愛大不了提升演技當做戲

拋開你先識去審美

往後我便有自己見地

無論愛幾高 身價亦低過青花瓷器

評核我自己 只顧投資於愛情

困在你小宇宙損失看大世界的福氣

回味誰是你 往日有甚麼品味

只要敢遠飛 亦能自創我的煙花紀

神是我自己 若然目光高過聚散分離

奉承你 因往日雙眼無珠不停放大你

想快樂不靠神跡才懂創世紀

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
膚淺 (fūqiǎn) /fuː tɕʰi̯ɛn/ B2	adjective - superficial, shallow
恩寵 (ēnchǒng) /ən tʂʰʊŋ/ C1	noun - favor, grace, benevolence
糊塗 (hútu) /xu tu/ B1	adjective - muddled, confused, bewildered
俯瞰 (fǔkàn) /fu kʰan/ C1	verb - to look down at, to overlook
冰山 (bīngshān) /biŋ ʂan/ B1	noun - iceberg
燭光 (zhúguāng) /ʈ͡ʂu ku̯aŋ/ B2	noun - Candlelight
消散 (xiāosàn) /ɕi̯ɑʊ̯ sän/ B2	verb - to dissipate, to vanish
光環 (guānghuán) /kwäŋ xwän/ B2	noun - halo, aura
神跡 (shénjì) /ʂən t͡ɕi/ C1	noun - miracle, divine intervention
夢幻 (mènghuàn) /məŋ xu̯än/ B2	adjective - dreamlike, illusory
敬拜 (jìngbài) /t͡ɕiŋ paɪ̯/ B2	verb - to worship
視力 (shìlì) /ʂɨ li/ B1	noun - Vision
靜觀 (jìngguān) /t͡ɕiŋ ku̯an/ C1	verb - Observe quietly
世態 (shìtài) /ʂɨ thaɪ̯/ B2	noun - the ways of the world, human affairs
見地 (jiàndì) /t͡ɕi̯ɛn ti/ B2	noun - viewpoint, opinion
身價 (shēnjià) /ʂən t͡ɕi̯a/ B1	noun - value, status, worth
青花瓷器 (qīnghuā cíqì) /t͡ɕʰiŋ xwä t͡sʰi ʨʰi/ B2	noun - Blue and white porcelain
投資 (tóuzī) /tʰoʊ̯ tsɨ/ B1	verb - to invest
品味 (pǐnwèi) /pʰin weɪ/ B2	noun - Taste
自創 (zìchuàng) /tsɨ ʈ͡ʂʰwɑŋ/ B2	verb - Create oneself
磨練 (móliàn) /mwo li̯ɛn/ B2	verb - to temper oneself, to train
聚散 (jùsàn) /t͡ɕy sän/ B2	noun - gathering and scattering, meeting and parting
演技 (yǎnjì) /jæn t͡ɕi/ B1	noun - acting skills
洞悉 (dòngxī) /tʊŋ ɕi/ C1	verb - to understand thoroughly, to have insight
華麗 (huálì) /xwä li/ B1	adjective - Magnificent
氣勢 (qìshì) /t͡ɕʰi ʂɨ/ B1	noun - Momentum
審美 (shěnměi) /ʂən meɪ/ B2	verb - Aesthetic
奉承 (fèngchéng) /fɤŋ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ/ B2	verb - Flatter
神跡 (shénjì) /ʃən t͡ɕi/ C1	noun - miracle, divine intervention
世紀 (shìjì) /ʂɨ t͡ɕi/ A2	noun - century

Key Grammar Structures

• 得你恩寵似升仙

  ➔ The particle "得" indicates the degree or result of an action, often translated as "to get" or "to be able to".

  ➔ It describes the extent to which you receive or attain something, in this case, "your favor" that feels divine.

• 未曾發覺我該俯瞰南極快沒有冰山

  ➔ The negative form "未曾" indicates that an action has never occurred in the past.

  ➔ It emphasizes that the speaker has never realized or noticed something before.

• 從沒有認識蠟燭怎樣消散

  ➔ The phrase "從沒有" means "never before" or "not at all" in the past.

  ➔ It indicates that the speaker has never understood or known how candles dissipate before.

• 從前只懂情人的感動力量最珍貴

  ➔ The phrase "只懂" means "only understand" or "only know" about something.

  ➔ It expresses that in the past, the person only understood the emotional power of lovers, considering it the most precious.

• 只要敢遠飛 亦能自創我的搜神記

  ➔ The phrase "只要敢" means "as long as dare to" or "if willing to".

  ➔ It indicates that as long as one dares to take a step, they can create their own myth or story, emphasizing courage and initiative.

• 就憑你 相愛大不了提升演技當做戲

  ➔ The phrase "就憑" means "based on" or "relying on".

  ➔ It suggests that relying on your love, even the act of loving can be as artificial as acting in a play, implying a sense of performance or facade.