十年 Shí nián
Ten Years
1. Song Overview
2003 Cantopop masterpiece about how lovers become friends after a decade. One of the most quoted love songs in Chinese music history.
2. Key Excerpts & Explanations
Opening
如果那两个字没有颤抖
Translation: “If those two words hadn’t trembled…”
Famous line
情人最后难免沦为朋友
Translation: “Lovers inevitably end up as friends”
Embrace
怀抱既然不能逗留
Translation: “Since an embrace cannot last forever”
3. Full English Translation (Our version)
If “break up” hadn’t trembled, I wouldn’t have realised the pain.
Since no embrace lasts forever, why not enjoy it while tears flow?
Ten years ago we didn’t know each other – ten years later we’re friends who can’t embrace anymore.
Lovers inevitably become just friends.
4. Key Vocabulary
| Pinyin | Chinese | English |
|---|---|---|
| chàn dǒu | 颤抖 | tremble |
| nán shòu | 难受 | heartbroken |
| dòu liú | 逗留 | linger |
| lún wéi | 沦为 | end up as |
| wēn róu | 温柔 | tenderness |
5. Cultural Notes
“情人最后难免沦为朋友” is one of the most famous lines in Chinese music.