背對背擁抱 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 林俊傑

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the emotional depths of Mandarin through JJ Lin's "Back to Back Embrace." This heartfelt pop ballad beautifully articulates the subtleties of unspoken words and relational struggles in Chinese. Learning its lyrics can help you grasp nuanced expressions of sadness and longing, offering a unique window into Chinese-language songwriting and its rich vocabulary for complex emotions.

[English]

Words can never fully explain how to understand

Each word feels like a trap

Old wounds keep reopening, who’s provoking whom

Your hands shake off the right balance just right

And then the flames of conflict reignite

We hug back to back

Abusing silence to scream out loud

Love isn’t old enough to fade away

Destroyed by the jokes of war

We hug back to back

Honest words circle around, tangled and confusing

Just want you to know

Just want me to know, this love’s warning

Words can never fully explain how to understand

Each word feels like a trap

Old wounds keep reopening, who’s provoking whom

Your hands shake off the right balance just right

And then the flames of conflict reignite

We hug back to back

Abusing silence to scream out loud

Love isn’t old enough to fade away

Destroyed by the jokes of war

We hug back to back

Honest words circle around, tangled and confusing

Just want you to know

Just want me to know, this love’s warning

I don’t want to go all the way to

Become strangers and turn into self-blame

Since we can embrace

Don’t let go so easily

We hug back to back

Abusing silence to scream out loud

Love isn’t old enough to fade away

Destroyed by the jokes of war

We hug back to back

Honest words circle around, tangled and confusing

Just want me to know

Just want you to know, this warning

Just want me to know

Just want you to know

The warning of love

...

[Chinese]

話總說不清楚 該怎麼明瞭

一字一句像 圈套

舊帳總翻不完 誰無理取鬧

你的雙手甩開剛好的微妙

然後戰火再燃燒

我們背對背擁抱

濫用沉默在咆哮

愛情來不及變老

葬送在烽火的玩笑

我們背對背擁抱

真話兜著圈子亂亂繞

只是想讓我知道

只是想讓你知道 愛的警告

話總說不清楚 該怎麼明瞭

一字一句像 圈套

舊帳總翻不完 誰無理取鬧

你的雙手甩開剛好的微妙

然後戰火再燃燒

我們背對背擁抱

濫用沉默在咆哮

愛情來不及變老

葬送在烽火的玩笑

我們背對背擁抱

真話兜著圈子亂亂繞

只是想讓我知道

只是想讓你知道 愛的警告

我不要 一直到

形同陌路變成自找

既然可以擁抱

就不要輕易放掉

我們背對背擁抱

濫用沉默在咆哮

愛情來不及變老

葬送在烽火的玩笑

我們 背對背擁抱

真話兜著圈子亂亂繞

只是想讓我知道

只是想讓你知道 這警告

只是想讓我知道

只是想讓你知道

愛的警告

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
明瞭 (míngliǎo) /míng liǎo/ B2	verb - to understand clearly; to realize adjective - clear; obvious
圈套 (quāntào) /kʰwɑ́n tʰɑʊ/ B2	noun - trap; snare
無理取鬧 (wúlǐ qǔnào) /wu li tɕʰy nao/ C1	verb - to make trouble out of nothing; to be deliberately provocative
雙手 (shuāngshǒu) /ʂwɑŋ ʂoʊ/ A1	noun - both hands
微妙 (wēimiào) /weɪ mjaʊ/ B2	adjective - subtle; delicate
戰火 (zhànhuǒ) /ʈʂɑn xwɔ/ B2	noun - flames of war; warfare
燃燒 (ránshāo) /ʐan ʂɑʊ/ B1	verb - to burn; to ignite
擁抱 (yōngbào) /jʊŋ paʊ/ A2	verb - to embrace; to hug
沉默 (chénmò) /t͡ʃʰən mwo/ B1	noun - silence adjective - silent
咆哮 (páoxiào) /pʰɑʊ ɕjɑʊ/ B2	verb - to roar; to bellow
愛情 (àiqíng) /aɪ t͡ɕʰɪŋ/ A2	noun - love; affection
變老 (biànlǎo) /pjɛn laʊ/ A2	verb - to grow old; to age
葬送 (zàngsòng) /tsɑŋ sʊŋ/ C1	verb - to bury; to consign to oblivion
烽火 (fēnghuǒ) /fɤŋ xwɔ/ C1	noun - beacon fire; signal fire (historically used to warn of invasion)
玩笑 (wánxiào) /wɑn ɕjɑʊ/ A2	noun - joke; jest
真話 (zhēnhuà) /ʈ͡ʂən xwɑ/ A2	noun - truth
陌路 (mòlù) /mwo ly/ C1	noun - strangers; people who pass on the road without acquaintance
輕易 (qīngyì) /t͡ɕʰɪŋ i/ B1	adjective - easily; lightly
警告 (jǐnggào) /t͡ɕiŋ kao/ B1	noun - warning verb - to warn

Key Grammar Structures

• 話總說不清楚 該怎麼明瞭

  ➔ Usage of modal verb "該" to express obligation or expectation

  ➔ The word "該" is used to indicate what should or ought to be done, similar to "should" or "must" in English.

• 我們背對背擁抱

  ➔ Use of the phrase "背對背" (back to back) to describe mutual orientation

  ➔ The phrase "背對背" literally means "back to back" and describes two people standing or embracing with their backs facing each other.

• 濫用沉默在咆哮

  ➔ Use of "濫用" (misuse/excessive use) + noun to describe wrongful or excessive use of something

  ➔ The phrase "濫用沉默" suggests the wrongful or excessive use of silence, implying avoidance or suppression possibly turning into shouting.

• 愛情來不及變老

  ➔ Use of "來不及" (not enough time to) to express impossibility or lack of time for an action

  ➔ The phrase "來不及變老" means there's not enough time for love to grow old, emphasizing the fleeting or transient nature of love.

• 就不要輕易放掉

  ➔ Use of "就" as a conjunction to emphasize immediacy or decisiveness

  ➔ The word "就" emphasizes that one should not easily let go of something important, implying a sense of urgency or decisiveness.