Taiwanese band 五月天 Wu Yue Tian (Mayday) 星空 Xing Kong Starry Sky: song, lyrics, pinyin, English translation, and Vincent (Starry Starry Night) by Don Mclean. Also quote of Van Gogh

The post is updated today for teaching purpose.

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五月天 Wu Yue Tian (Mayday)

星空 Xing Kong
Starry Sky

星(star)空(sky)

摸不到的颜色 是否叫彩虹?
mō bù dào de yán sè shì fǒu jiào cǎi hóng
The color can’t be touched, is it called rainbow?

摸(touch)不到(not reaching)的(connecting particle)颜色(color) 是否(weather or not)叫(called)彩虹(rainbow)?

看不到的拥抱 是否叫做微风?
kàn bù dào de yōng bào shì fǒu jiào zuò wēi fēng
The embrace that can’t be seen, is it called breeze?

看(see)不到(not reach)的(connecting particle)拥抱(embrace) 是否(weather or not)叫做(is called)微风(breeze)?

一个人 想着一个人 是否就叫寂寞?
yī gè rén xiǎng zhe yī gè rén shì fǒu jiù jiào jì mò
One person thinks of the other person, is it called lonely?

一(one)个(measure word)人(person) 想(think)着(aspect particle indicating action in progress )一(one)个(measure word)人(person) 是否(weather or not)就(in that case)叫(called)寂寞(loneliness)?

命运偷走如果 只留下结果
mìng yùn tōu zǒu rú guǒ zhī liú xià jié guǒ
The fate stole if, only to leave the result

命运(fate / destiny)偷(steal)走(away)如果(if) 只(only)留下(left)结果(result)

时间偷走初衷 只留下了苦衷
shí jiān tōu zǒu chū zhōng zhī liú xià le kǔ zhōng
Time stole the original intention, only to leave the bitter heart

时间(time)偷(steal)走(away)初(original)衷(heart) 只(only)留下(left)了(past tense particle)苦(bitter)衷(heart)

你来过 然后你走后 只留下星空
nǐ lái guò rán hòu nǐ zǒu hòu zhī liú xià xīng kōng
You came, then after you left, only to leave the starry sky

你(you)来过(came) 然后(then)你(you)走(leave)后(later/after) 只(only)留下(left)星(star)空(sky)

那一年我们望着星空
nà yī nián wǒ men wàng zhe xīng kōng
That one year, we looked at the starry sky

那(that)一(one)年(year)我们(we)望(watch/look up to)着(aspect particle indicating action in progress )星(star)空(sky)

有那么多的 灿烂的梦
yǒu nà me duō de càn làn de mèng
There were so many splendid dreams

有(have)那么(that such)多(many)的(connecting particle) 灿烂(brilliant)的(connecting particle)梦(dream)

以为快乐会永久 像不变星空 陪着我
yǐ wéi kuài lè huì yǒng jiǔ xiàng bù biàn xīng kōng péi zhe wǒ
I thought happiness will be forever, like the unchangeable starry sky accompanying me

以为(to think/ to believe)快乐(happiness)会(will)永久(forever) 像(like)不(not)变(change)星(star)空(sky) 陪(accompany)着(aspect particle indicating action in progress )我(me)

猎户 天狼 织女 光年外沉默
liè hù tiān láng zhī nǚ guāng nián wài chén mò
Orion, Sirius, and Weaver are silent beyond light years

猎户(Orion) 天狼(Sirius) 织女(Weaver Girl) 光(light year)年(year)外(beyond)沉默(silent)

回忆 青春 梦想 何时偷偷陨落？
huí yì qīng chūn mèng xiǎng hé shí tōu tōu yǔn luò
Memory, youth, and dreams, when will they silently fall?

回忆(memory) 青春(youth) 梦想(dreams) 何时(when)偷偷(stealthily / secretly)陨落(fall)？

我爱过 然后我沉默 人海里漂流
wǒ ài guò rán hòu wǒ chén mò rén hǎi lǐ piāo liú
I loved, then I became silent and drifted in the sea of people

我(I)爱过(loved) 然后(then)我(I)沉默(became silent) 人(people)海(sea)里(within)漂流(drift)

那一年我们望着星空
nà yī nián wǒ men wàng zhe xīng kōng
That one year, we looked at the starry sky

那(that)一(one)年(year)我们(we)望(look up)着(aspect particle indicating action in progress )星(starry)空(sky)

未来的未来 从没想过
wèi lái de wèi lái cóng méi xiǎng guò
The future of the future, we never have thought of

未来(future)的(connecting particle)未来(future) 从没(never)想过(thought of)

当故事失去美梦 美梦失去线索
dāng gù shì shī qù měi mèng měi mèng shī qù xiàn suǒ
When the story lost the beautiful dream, the beautiful dream lost clues

当(when)故事(story)失去(lost)美(beautiful)梦(dream) 美(beautiful)梦(dream)失去(lost)线索(clues)

而我们失去联络
ér wǒ men shī qù lián luò
While we lost contact

而(and so)我们(we)失去(lost)联络(contact)

这一片无言无语星空
zhè yī piàn wú yán wú yǔ xīng kōng
This one piece speechless, wordless starry sky

这(this)一(one)片(piece)无(no)言(spoken word)无(no)语(spoken words)星(star)空(sky)

为什么静静 看我泪流
wéi shén me jìng jìng kàn wǒ lèi liú
Why it quietly looks at me shedding tears

为什么(why)静静(silently) 看(look)我(me)泪(tears)流(flow)

如果你在的时候
rú guǒ nǐ zài de shí hòu huì bù
If the moment when you were here

如果(if)你(you)在(exist)的(connecting particle)时候(time)

会不会伸手拥抱我？
huì shēn shǒu yōng bào wǒ
Would you open your arms to embrace me?

会(will)不(not)会(will)伸(stretch)手(hand)拥抱(embrace)我(me)？

细数繁星闪烁 细数此生奔波
xì shù fán xīng shǎn shuò xì shù cǐ shēng bēn bō
Carefully count the twinkling numerous stars, carefully count the rush and wander of this life

细(carefully)数(count)繁(numerous)星(star)闪烁(twinkle) 细(carefully)数(count)此(this)生(life)奔波(rush and wander)

原来 所有 所得 所获 不如一夜的星空
yuán lái suǒ yǒu suǒ de suǒ huò bù rú yī yè de xīng kōng
Then I realized that all I got, all I harvested is not as good as the starry sky of one night

原来(as it turns out) 所(all)有(have) 所(all)得(get) 所(all)获(gain) 不如(not as good as)一(one)夜(night)的(connecting particle)星(star)空(sky)

空气中的温柔 回忆你的笑容
kōng qì zhōng de wēn róu huí yì nǐ de xiào róng
The gentleness in the air, I remember your smiling appearance

空气(air)中(within)的(connecting particle)温柔(gentleness) 回忆(remember)你的(your)笑(smiling)容(appearance)

彷佛只要伸手 就能触摸
páng fú zhī yào shēn shǒu jiù néng chù mō
As if, if I stretched the arm, then I could touch it

彷佛(as if)只要(only)伸(stretch)手(hand) 就(then)能(able to)触摸(touch)

摸不到的颜色 是否叫彩虹?
mō bù dào de yán sè shì fǒu jiào cǎi hóng
The color can’t be touched, is it called rainbow?

摸(touch)不到(not reaching)的(connecting particle)颜色(color) 是否(weather or not)叫(called)彩虹(rainbow)?

看不到的拥抱 是否叫做微风?
kàn bù dào de yōng bào shì fǒu jiào zuò wēi fēng
The embrace that can’t be seen, is it called breeze?

看(see)不到(not reach)的(connecting particle)拥抱(embrace) 是否(weather or not)叫做(is called)微风(breeze)?

一个人 习惯一个人…
yī gè rén xí guàn yī gè rén
One person accustomed to be alone

一(one)个(measure word)人(person) 习惯(get used to)一(one)个(measure word)人(person)…

这一刻独自望着星空
zhè yī kè dú zì wàng zhe xīng kōng
This moment I looked at the starry sky all by myself

这(this)一(one)刻(moment)独(alone)自(self)望(look at)着(particle shows action is going on)星(star)空(sky)

从前的从前 从没变过
cóng qián de cóng qián cóng méi biàn guò
The before of the before has never changed

从前(before)的(connecting particle)从前(before) 从没(never)变过(changed)

寂寞可以是忍受 也可以是享受
jì mò kě yǐ shì rěn shòu yě kě yǐ shì xiǎng shòu
Loneliness is alright to endure, it can also be enjoyed

寂寞(loneliness)可以(alright)是(to be)忍受(endurance) 也(also)可以(alright)是(to be)享受(enjoy)

享受仅有的拥有
xiǎng shòu jǐn yǒu de yōng yǒu
Enjoy the possession that I only have (now)

享受(enjoy)仅(only)有(have)的(connecting particle)拥有(possess)

那一年我们望着星空
nà yī nián wǒ men wàng zhe xīng kōng
That one year we looked at the starry sky

那(that)一(one)年(year)我们(we)望(look at)着(particle shows action is going on)星(star)空(sky)

有那么多的 灿烂的梦
yǒu nà me duō de càn làn de mèng
There were so many splendid dreams

有(have)那么(that much)多(many)的(connecting particle)灿烂(splendid)的(connecting particle)梦(dream)

至少回忆会永久
zhì shǎo huí yì huì yǒng jiǔ
At least the memory will be forever

至少(at least)回忆(memory)会(will)永久(forever)

像不变星空 陪着我
xiàng bù biàn xīng kōng péi zhù wǒ
Just like the unchangeable starry sky, accompanies me

像(like)不(not)变(change)星(star)空(sky)陪(accompany)着(particle shows action is going on)我(me)

最后只剩下星空 像不变回忆
zuì hòu zhī shèng xià xīng kōng xiàng bù biàn huí yì
At the end, only the starry sky remains and it is like never changing memories

最后(at the end)只(only)剩下(left)星(star)空(sky) 像(like)不(not)变(change)回忆(memory)

陪着我..
péi zhù wǒ
accompanies me …….

陪(accompany)着(particle shows action is going on)我(me)

Translated by Shu

The following is one of my favorite English songs. It is so beautiful — painting the song with pictures. So beautiful, yet so sad.

A beautiful Van Gogh painting with the words of his famous quote: “I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day”.