野孩子 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 楊千嬅

Lyrics & Translation

“野孩子” (Wild Child) by Miriam Yeung is a quintessential Cantonese ballad that masterfully conveys nuanced emotions of love, independence, and longing. Its poetic lyrics by Wyman Wong and emotive melody by Mark Lui offer a rich tapestry for language learners to explore authentic Cantonese expressions and deeply felt sentiments, making it an excellent song to delve into the beauty of the language through its powerful storytelling.

[English]

Even if I only talk about love, everything else is just brief vanity

It doesn’t mean that playing in a honeymoon suite makes me a fairy who can come and go at will

I’d rather earn your respect, even if it means bearing the charge of arrogance

Pushed into your arms, as my feelings grow cold

It’s not yet loneliness, but it’s lonely enough

Knowing that boys like love, maybe this is all there is

But I’ll become the woman you care about most

Day after day, you wonder how to tame me

If I hold you close, maybe it wouldn’t have to be like this

Many people say I don’t understand boys

Not obeying orders is the worst thing people call me

They laugh at this wild child who can’t be controlled

Even if happiness isn’t mine, I don’t mind

If I still insist on loyalty, are you the one fit for stability?

It’s such a pity — before you kiss me, you wake up in your dreams

Is leaving so disrespectful? Or perhaps a more intense scene?

This outcome is necessary for me to be missed

Let me run wild in the wilderness

Knowing that boys like love, maybe this is all there is

But I’ll become the woman you care about most

Day after day, you wonder how to tame me

If I hold you close, maybe it wouldn’t have to be like this

Many people say I don’t understand boys

Not obeying orders is the worst thing people call me

They laugh at this wild child who can’t be controlled

Even if happiness isn’t mine, I don’t mind

Knowing that boys like love, maybe this is all there is

But I’ll become the woman you care about most

Day after day, you wonder how to tame me

If I hold you close, maybe it wouldn’t have to be like this

Many people say I don’t understand boys

Not obeying orders is the worst thing people call me

I also laugh at myself — turns out I’m a born wild child

Even if happiness isn’t mine, I don’t mind

...

[Chinese]

就算只談一場感情 除外都是一時虛榮

不等於在蜜月套房遊玩過 就可自入自出仙境

情願獲得你的尊敬 承受太高傲的罪名

擠得進你臂彎 如情懷漸冷

未算孤苦也伶仃

明知愛這種男孩子 也許只能如此

但我會成為你最牽掛的一個女子

朝朝暮暮讓你猜想如何馴服我

若果親手抱住 或者不必如此

許多旁人說我不太明瞭男孩子

不受命令就是一種最壞名字

笑我這個毫無辦法管束的野孩子

連沒有幸福都不介意

若我依然堅持忠誠 難道你又適合安定?

真可惜 說要吻我的還未吻 自己就自夢中甦醒

離場是否有點失敬? 或是更轟烈的劇情

必需有這結果才能懷念我

讓我於荒野馳騁

明知愛這種男孩子 也許只能如此

但我會成為你最牽掛的一個女子

朝朝暮暮讓你猜想如何馴服我

若果親手抱住 或者不必如此

許多旁人說我不太明瞭男孩子

不受命令就是一種最壞名字

笑我這個毫無辦法管束的野孩子

連沒有幸福都不介意

明知愛這種男孩子 也許只能如此

但我會成為你最牽掛的一個女子

朝朝暮暮讓你猜想如何馴服我

若果親手抱住 或者不必如此

許多旁人說我不太明瞭男孩子

不受命令就是一種最壞名字

我也笑我原來是個天生的野孩子

連沒有幸福都不介意

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
感情 (gǎnqíng) /ɡǎn t͡ɕʰiŋ/ B1	noun - feeling, emotion; affection
虛榮 (xūróng) /ɕy ɻʊŋ/ B2	noun - vanity
尊敬 (zūnjìng) /tsuən t͡ɕiŋ/ B2	verb - to respect noun - respect
罪名 (zuìmíng) /tsweɪ mɪŋ/ B2	noun - criminal charge, accusation
孤苦 (gūkǔ) /ku ku/ C1	adjective - lonely and miserable
伶仃 (língdīng) /lɪŋ tiŋ/ C1	adjective - lonely, solitary
牽掛 (qiānguà) /t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn kwa/ B2	verb - to worry about, to be concerned about noun - worry, concern
馴服 (xúnfú) /ɕyn fu/ B2	verb - to tame, to domesticate
命令 (mìnglìng) /mɪŋ liŋ/ B1	noun - order, command verb - to order, to command
管束 (guǎnshù) /kwan ʃu/ B2	verb - to control, to restrain
野孩子 (yě háizi) /jɛ xai tsɨ/ B1	noun - wild child
幸福 (xìngfú) /ɕiŋ fu/ A2	noun - happiness, well-being adjective - happy
忠誠 (zhōngchéng) /ʈ͡ʂʊŋ ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ/ B2	adjective - loyal, faithful noun - loyalty, fidelity
安定 (āndìng) /an tɪŋ/ B1	adjective - stable, settled verb - to stabilize, to settle
荒野 (huāngyě) /xwan jɛ/ B2	noun - wilderness, wasteland
馳騁 (chíchěng) /ʈ͡ʂʰi ʈ͡ʂʰɤŋ/ C1	verb - to gallop; to roam freely

Key Grammar Structures

• 就算只談一場感情

  ➔ subj + 只 + verb / noun + 也 / 也不

  ➔ Using "就算" (jiùsuàn) indicates "even if" or "even though," expressing concessive meaning.

• 不等於在蜜月套房遊玩過

  ➔ 不等於 / 不等於 + verb / noun

  ➔ Using "不等於" (bù děng yú) expresses "not equal to," indicating discrepancy or distinction.

• 連沒有幸福都不介意

  ➔ 連 + negative + 也 / 都 / 也不 / 都不

  ➔ Using "連...都/也" (lián...dōu / yě) emphasizes "even" or "to the extent" that it includes the negative aspect, highlighting a surprising or extreme point.

• 許多旁人說我不太明瞭男孩子

  ➔ 許多 + noun + 說 + subject + verb phrase

  ➔ Using "許多...說" (xǔduō ... shuō) introduces reported speech, similar to "many say" in English.

• 若果親手抱住 或者不必如此

  ➔ 若果 + verb phrase / if + verb phrase

  ➔ Using "若果" (ruòguǒ) introduces a conditional clause meaning "if" or "in case."

• 我也笑我原來是個天生的野孩子

  ➔ 我 + 也 + verb / adjective, + 我 + 是 + noun phrase

  ➔ Using "我也" (wǒ yě) indicates "I also" or "I too," expressing agreement or inclusion.