作賤 – Bilingual Lyrics Chinese/English

• By: 許靖韻

Lyrics & Translation

“作賤” (Zuo Jian) by Angela Hui is a powerful Cantopop ballad that delves into the profound emotional complexities of love, loss, and self-worth. Through its evocative lyrics and Angela's deep, expressive vocals, listeners can explore the nuances of Cantonese, grasping emotions like vulnerability, regret, and the struggle for self-preservation. Its relatable themes and poignant delivery make it a compelling piece for language learners to connect with authentic emotional expression in Cantonese music.

[English]

Keep me in the dark, unseen by the light

But every night, you warmly say goodnight

I understand we're all busy too

Your conversations seem symptomless at a glance

Then you meet up with old friends again

Every word comforts me softly

Happy her, her perfect account reveals everything

No wonder, turns out it’s my fault

How much more worthless must I be to trust your promises

I’m so easy to fool

Just giving you an excuse to cover the spark

The fault is yours, it’s too late to clarify our roles

Only then do I realize I didn't face the issue properly

Ignoring the problem again and again, the answer stays the same

You love to apologize, love to choke on your words

No way to blame this world, whatever the story’s like

It's so rare, yet so common

You admit to guilt, also because you’re implicated

Dealing long-term with a hollow partner

Saying we’ll separate, using time to let it fade

But I clearly want to step back

How much more worthless must I be to trust your promises

I’m so easy to fool

Just giving you an excuse to cover the spark

The fault is yours, it’s too late to clarify our roles

Like accepting you crushing my bottom line

My self-esteem keeps sinking lower

Self-love is a lifelong lesson

Spinning around, never letting contact break

Wishing I could destroy us both

How much more worthless must I be to keep loving you now

Even reason has been sacrificed

No wonder my heart is pierced again and again

The fault is yours, it’s too late to clarify our roles

Only wanting to reject you, remaining greed remains

Countless delays, I must change first

Being forced to love, ends up being a shameful loser

I've grown tired of the lines, have no more opinions

Better if we just disappear

[Chinese]

繼續 讓我在暗中不見光

但每夜貼心道晚安

明白大家一樣忙

你對話 驟看亦無症狀

又約會哪堆舊同學

言詞句句 安慰着我

幸福的她 帳號完美道破

難怪 原來錯在我

尚要有多賤 才信你諾言

我有多好騙

才賜你藉口 遮蓋導火線

錯在很遲 搞清位置

才無正視你 有問題一面

無數次拖延 答案都不變

你愛道歉 愛用哽咽的聲線

無從怪這世界 奈何這劇情

太不 罕見

你認 認有罪也因被連累

長期應對 空殼伴侶

話將分居 要用時間淡去

而我 明明要後退

尚要有多賤 才信你諾言

我有多好騙

才賜你藉口 遮蓋導火線

錯在很遲 搞清位置

如同接受你 踩碎我底線

自尊總降低

自愛是個畢生的課題

圍着轉 未讓聯絡斷

恨不得 能做到 互相摧毀

尚要有多賤 才愛到目前

理智都捐獻

難怪插在心 一箭又一箭

錯在很遲 搞清位置

唯求拒絕你 那剩餘貪念

無數次拖延 靠我先改變

勉強被愛 變做輸家都丟臉

台詞也早聽厭 沒什麼意見

最好 不見

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
暗中 /àn zhōng/ B2	adjective - secretly; covertly; in the dark
貼心 /tiē xīn/ B2	adjective - considerate; thoughtful; intimate
忙 /máng/ A1	adjective - busy
症狀 /zhèng zhuàng/ B2	noun - symptom
安慰 /ān wèi/ B1	verb - to comfort; to console
幸福 /xìng fú/ A2	adjective - happy; blissful
賤 /jiàn/ B2	adjective - cheap; lowly; base; self-deprecating
諾言 /nuò yán/ B2	noun - promise; vow
藉口 /jiè kǒu/ B1	noun - excuse
遮蓋 /zhē gài/ B2	verb - to cover; to conceal; to hide
問題 /wèn tí/ A1	noun - problem; question
道歉 /dào qiàn/ A2	verb - to apologize
哽咽 /gěng yè/ B2	verb - to choke with sobs; to sob
空殼 /kōng qiào/ C1	noun - empty shell; facade; sham
伴侶 /bàn lǚ/ B2	noun - companion; partner
後退 /hòu tuì/ B1	verb - to retreat; to back down
踩碎 /cǎi suì/ B2	verb - to trample; to crush; to shatter
自尊 /zì zūn/ B2	noun - self-esteem; self-respect
課題 /kè tí/ B2	noun - task; problem; issue; subject