垃圾 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 盧巧音

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of Cantonese with 盧巧音's emotionally charged song, “垃圾”. Experience the raw emotions and learn how the singer uses vivid metaphors to describe the feeling of unrequited love and self-worth. This song is a great way to explore the themes of love, self-esteem, and the beauty of Cantonese lyrics .

[English]

If I were a half piece of waste paper, let me transform into a butterfly

If I were an empty can, I’d be all yours, stubbornly committed

Wasted by you, buried alive by you

Made you happy, while I fall apart

Showing my seductive decline just for you

Let me be trash, forever lingering in your place

Scarring from addiction, then sprouting anew

Love is like garbage, the wreckage may decay

Yet in the garden, even the last will bloom with flowers

Abandoned by the world, it’s not scary

Loving you, sometimes it’s even scarier

Unable to hold on anymore, better cremated in your hands

No need for perfection, it’s terrifying

How to handle happiness? Isn’t cruelty better?

...

Let me be trash, forever lingering in your place

Scarring from addiction, then sprouting anew

Love is like garbage, the wreckage may decay

Yet in the garden, even the last will bloom with flowers

Abandoned by the world, it’s not scary

Loving you, sometimes it’s even scarier

Unable to hold on anymore, better cremated in your hands

No need for perfection, it’s terrifying

How to handle happiness? Isn’t cruelty better?

Abandoned by the world, it’s not scary

Loving you, sometimes it’s even scarier

Unable to hold on anymore, better cremated in your hands

No need for perfection, it’s terrifying

How to handle happiness? Isn’t cruelty better?

Completely consumed in the ashes

From now on, I’ll have no worries, fear nothing

...

[Chinese]

如果我是半張廢紙 讓我化蝶

如果我是個空罐子 為你鐵了心

被你浪費 被你活埋

讓你愉快 讓我瓦解

為你盛放頹廢中那媚態

留我做個垃圾 長留戀於你家

從沉溺中結疤 再發芽

情愛就似垃圾 殘骸雖會腐化

庭園中最後也開滿花

被世界遺棄 不可怕

喜歡你 有時還可怕

沒法再做那些牽掛 比不上在你手中火化

不需要完美得可怕

太快樂 如何招架? 殘忍不好嗎?

留我做個垃圾 長留戀於你家

從沉溺中結疤 再發芽

情愛就似垃圾 殘骸雖會腐化

庭園中最後也開滿花

被世界遺棄 不可怕

喜歡你 有時還可怕

沒法再做那些牽掛 比不上在你手中火化

不需要完美得可怕

太快樂 如何招架? 殘忍不好嗎?

被世界遺棄 不可怕

喜歡你 有時還可怕

沒法再做那些牽掛 比不上在你手中火化

不需要完美得可怕

太快樂 如何招架? 殘忍不好嗎?

灰燼裡被徹底消化

我以後全無牽掛 什麼都不怕

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
廢紙 (fèi zhǐ) /feɪ t͡ʂɨ/ B1	noun - waste paper, scrap paper
化蝶 (huà dié) /xwɑ˅ tjɛ/ B2	verb - to transform into a butterfly (allusion to a Chinese folktale)
空罐子 (kōng guàn zi) /kʰʊŋ ɡu̯an˥ t͡sz̩/ A2	noun - empty can, empty tin
鐵了心 (tiě le xīn) /tʰjɛ lə ɕin/ B2	verb - to be determined, to make up one's mind (literally, to have an iron heart)
浪費 (làng fèi) /lɑŋ˅ feɪ/ B1	verb - to waste, to squander
活埋 (huó mái) /xwɔ˅ maɪ/ B2	verb - to bury alive
愉快 (yú kuài) /y kʰwaɪ/ B1	adjective - happy, joyful
瓦解 (wǎ jiě) /wɑ˧˥ t͡ɕjɛ/ C1	verb - to disintegrate, to collapse
頹廢 (tuí fèi) /tʰuei̯ fɛi/ B2	adjective - decadent,頹廢,颓废,颓廃,颓廢,depraved,debauched,fallen
媚態 (mèi tài) /meɪ taɪ/ C1	noun - seductive charm, alluring manner
垃圾 (lā jī) /la t͡ɕi/ A2	noun - garbage, trash, rubbish
沉溺 (chén nì) /t͡ʂʰən˅ ni/ B2	verb - to indulge in, to wallow in, to be immersed in
結疤 (jié bā) /t͡ɕjɛ pa/ B1	verb - to form a scab, to scar
發芽 (fā yá) /fa ja/ B1	verb - to sprout, to germinate
殘骸 (cán hái) /tsʰan xaɪ/ B2	noun - remains, wreckage
腐化 (fǔ huà) /fu xwɑ/ B2	verb - to rot, to decay, to become corrupt
遺棄 (yí qì) /i t͡ɕʰi/ B2	verb - to abandon, to discard
可怕 (kě pà) /kʰə pa/ A2	adjective - terrible, dreadful, frightening
牽掛 (qiān guà) /t͡ɕʰjɛn kwa/ B2	noun - worry, concern, to be concerned about
火化 (huǒ huà) /xwɔ˅ xwɑ/ B1	verb - to cremate
完美 (wán měi) /wan mei/ B1	adjective - perfect
招架 (zhāo jià) /ʈ͡ʂɑʊ t͡ɕja/ C1	verb - to fend off, to parry, to withstand
殘忍 (cán rěn) /tsʰan ʐən/ B2	adjective - cruel, ruthless
灰燼 (huī jìn) /xuei t͡ɕin/ C1	noun - ashes
消化 (xiāo huà) /ɕjɑʊ xwɑ/ B1	verb - to digest, to assimilate

Key Grammar Structures

• 讓我化蝶

  ➔ 让 + pronoun + verb (subjunctive/make someone do something)

  ➔ It expresses the idea of causing oneself to transform or do something, similar to 'let me become a butterfly'.

• 被你浪費

  ➔ 被 + pronoun + verb (passive voice)

  ➔ Expresses the passive voice indicating the subject is acted upon by 'you' to be wasted.

• 長留戀於你家

  ➔ 留 + object + 於 + location (to stay or linger in a place)

  ➔ Indicates the action of staying or lingering in someone's place for a long time.

• 再發芽

  ➔ 再 + verb (indicating 'again' or 'further')

  ➔ Uses '再' to indicate 'again' or re-initiation of the action of sprouting or growing back.

• 就似垃圾

  ➔ 就 + verb (indicating 'just' or 'exactly') + 如 + noun (like)

  ➔ Expresses analogy or comparison showing something is just like trash.

• 比不上在你手中火化

  ➔ 比不上 + noun/verb (not as good as)

  ➔ Expresses a comparison indicating something is less than or inferior to another.

• 我以後全無牽掛

  ➔ 全無 + noun (completely lack of)

  ➔ Uses '全無' to emphasize total absence of worries or attachments.