Singer 鄧紫棋 (dèng zǐ qí, or “G.E.M.”) is one of the most popular singers in China right now. This music video, “爱你 (ài nǐ = Love You)”, is about a breakup. If you are a beginning Chinese student, don’t expect to understand all of the lyrics, but here are a few keywords and phrases for you to listen for (full lyrics below):
*For those of you in China, you can access the video here.
Key Words and Phrases from G.E.M.’s song “爱你”
You can click on the links within the lyrics to go to a full sentence breakdown!
1. 分开 (fēn kāi) = to separate / to part
- Lyric: 分开以后每个夜晚 格外的寂静。 (Fēnkāi yǐhòu měi gè yèwǎn géwài de jìjìng) = “Every night after we separated has been especially quiet”
- Additional example: 我18岁时和我父母分开住了。 (wǒ 18 suì shí hé wǒ fùmǔ fēnkāi zhùle) = I stopped living with my parents when I was 18 years old.
2. 声音 (shēng yīn) = voice
- Lyric: 电话里头曾经是你最温柔的声音。 (Diànhuà li tóu céngjīng shì nǐ zuì wēnróu de shēngyīn) = “In my telephone I once heard your most tender voice”
- Additional example: 他的声音很大。 (Tā de shēngyīn hěn dà) = His voice is very loud.
3. 空气 (kōng qì) = air
- Lyric: 现在只有空气 冷漠地回应。 (Xiànzài zhǐyǒu kòng qì lěngmò dì huíyīng) = “Now there’s only air, responding indifferently”
- Additional example: 这里的空气很好。 (Zhèlǐ de kōngqì hěn hǎo) = The air here is very good.
4. 心 (xīn) = heart
- Lyric: OH 给你我的心 (OH gěi nǐ wǒ de xīn) = “Oh, I gave you my heart”
- Additional example: 今天我很伤心。 (Jīntiān wǒ hěn shāngxīn) = Today I am brokenhearted.
5. 爱你 (ài nǐ) = love you
- Lyric: 一句爱你爱你爱你爱你。 (Yījù ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ) = “Words of love you, love you, love you, love you”
- Additional example: 我会一直很爱你。 (Wǒ huì yīzhí hěn ài nǐ) = I will always love you.
6. 孤寂 (gū jì) = lonesome, desolate
- Lyric: 为什么你却给了我孤寂。 (wèishéme nǐ què gěile wǒ gūjì) = “Why did you give me loneliness?”
- Additional example: 我一个人的时候觉得很孤寂。 (Wǒ yīgè rén de shíhou juéde hěn gūjì) = I feel very lonely when I am by myself.
7. 拥抱 (yōng bào) = to embrace, hug
- Lyric: 你的拥抱曾经是 最温暖最熟悉。 (Nǐ de yǒngbào céngjīng shì zuì wēnnuǎn zuì shúxī) = “Your embrace was once a familiar warmth”
- Additional example: 我们应该给每个人一个拥抱。 (Wǒmen yīnggāi gěi měi gèrén yīgè yǒngbào) = We should give everybody a hug.
8. 回忆 (huí yì) = memories
- Lyric: 回忆 对你最后的回忆。 (Huíyì duì nǐ zuìhòu de huíyì) = “Memories, my final memories of you”
- Additional example: 我有很多美好的童年回忆。 (Wǒ yǒu hěnduō měihǎo de tóngnián huíyì) = I have a lot of beautiful childhood memories.
9. 恨你 (hèn nǐ) = hate you
- Lyric: 恨你恨你。 (Hèn nǐ hèn nǐ) = “Hate you, hate you”
- Additional example: 我恨你不还我的钱。 (Wǒ hèn nǐ bù huán wǒ de qián) = I hate you when you don’t return my money.
10. 哭泣 (kū qì) = to weep
- Lyric: 然后我崩溃了放纵哭泣。 (Ránhòu wǒ bēngkuìle fàngzòng kūqì) = “Then I broke down and wept”
- Additional example: 看电影的时候我经常哭泣。 (Kàn diànyǐng de shíhou wǒ jīngcháng kūqì) = I often weep when watching movies.
Full lyrics:
You can click on the links within the lyrics to go to a full sentence breakdown!
Title: 爱你 (ài nǐ, also titled A.I.N.Y)
Artist:邓紫棋 (Dèng Zǐqí) also know as G.E.M.)
分开以后每个夜晚 格外的寂静 (Fēnkāi yǐhòu měi gè yèwǎn géwài de jìjìng)
滴答滴答 剩大钟在陪着我回忆 (Dīdā dīdā shèng dà zhōng zài péizhe wǒ huíyì)
电话里头曾经是你最温柔的声音 (Diànhuà li tóu céngjīng shì nǐ zuì wēnróu de shēngyīn)
现在只有空气 冷漠地回应 (Xiànzài zhǐyǒu kòng qì lěngmò dì huíyīng)
Every night after we separated has been especially quiet
Tic tock, tic tock, continues the clock to reminisce with me
In my telephone I once heard your most tender voice,
Now there’s only air, responding indifferently
OH 给你我的心 能否请你别遗弃 (OH gěi nǐ wǒ de xīn néng fǒu qǐng nǐ bié yíqì)
一句爱你爱你爱你爱你 能否再也不分离 (Yījù ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ néng fǒu zài yě bù fēnlí)
OH 给你我的心 为什么你却给了我孤寂 (OH gěi nǐ wǒ de xīn wèishéme nǐ què gěile wǒ gūjì)
就算爱你爱你爱你爱你 可能你也不想听 (Jiùsuàn ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ kěnéng nǐ yě bùxiǎng tīng)
Oh, I gave you my heart, can you please not abandon it
Words of love you, love you, love you, love you, can we not separate?
Oh, I gave you my heart, why did you give me loneliness?
Even love you, love you, love you, love you, you probably won’t even listen
你的拥抱曾经是 最温暖最熟悉 (Nǐ de yǒngbào céngjīng shì zuì wēnnuǎn zuì shúxī)
现在换了谁安睡在你胸口的位置 (Xiànzài huànle shuí ānshuì zài nǐ xiōngkǒu de wèizhì)
你的承诺曾是一种不自觉的甜蜜 (Nǐ de chéngnuò céng shì yī zhǒng bù zìjué de tiánmì)
现在一划一笔 刺在我心里 (Xiànzài yī huá yī bǐ cì zài wǒ xīnlǐ)
Your embrace was once a familiar warmth
Now who is lying at your chest as a substitute?
Your vows were once unconsciously sweet
Now every stroke is a thorn in my heart
CHORUS
回忆 (最后的回忆) 对你最后的回忆 (Huíyì (zuìhòu de huíyì) duì nǐ zuìhòu de huíyì)
是你 (走远的身影) 慢慢走远的身影 (Shì nǐ (zǒu yuǎn de shēnyǐng) màn man zǒu yuǎn de shēnyǐng)
然后你 (然后你 离开) 离开了没有痕迹 (Ránhòu nǐ (ránhòu nǐ líkāi) líkāile méiyǒu hénjī)
然后我 (然后我 哭泣) 崩溃了放纵哭泣 (Ránhòu wǒ (ránhòu wǒ kūqì) bēngkuìle fàngzòng kūqì)
恨你恨你 (想你) 每当我想起曾经曾经曾经曾经 (Hèn nǐ hèn nǐ (xiǎng nǐ) měi dāng wǒ xiǎngqǐ céngjīng céngjīng céngjīng céngjīng)
还是爱你爱你爱你爱你 难道还不能清醒 (Háishì ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ nándào huán bùnéng qīngxǐng)
Memories, my final memories of you (memories, final memories)
It’s your slowly disappearing figure (your disappearing figure)
then you left without a trace (then you left)
then I broke down and wept (then I wept)
Hate you, hate you, every time I think of how it once was (hate you every time I think of you, every time I think of what once was)
Once was, once was, once was, once was
Still love you, love you, love you, love you
Still can’t be rational
OH 给你我的心 为什么你却给了我孤寂 (OH gěi nǐ wǒ de xīn wèishéme nǐ què gěile wǒ gūjì)
一句爱你爱你爱你爱你 难道你也不想听 (Yījù ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ nándào nǐ yě bùxiǎng tīng)
OH 给你我的心 爲什麽你却给了我孤寂 (OH gěi nǐ wǒ de xīn wèishénmó nǐ què gěile wǒ gūjì)
就算爱你爱你爱你爱你 不值得为你伤心 (Jiùsuàn ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ ài nǐ bù zhídé wèi nǐ shāngxīn)
伤心… (hāngxīn…)
Oh, I gave you my heart, can you please not abandon it
Words of love you, love you, love you, love you, can we not separate?
Oh, I gave you my heart, why did you give me loneliness?
Even love you, love you, love you, love you, not worth being heartbroken over you
Your confession remains to be my final pleading,
But the only thing that’s here with me is tic tac tic tac tic tac tic tac
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