十二月的泪 Shí èr yuè de lèi
December’s Tears
1. Song Overview
2002 Cantopop ballad using freezing December as a metaphor for heartbreak and loneliness. Raw emotion + poetic exaggeration – great for advanced learners.
2. Key Excerpts & Explanations
Opening
嘿 是不是要走了
Translation: “Hey, is it time to leave?”
Title line
这是十二月的泪
Translation: “These are December’s tears”
Frozen dreams
十二万个梦
Translation: “A hundred twenty thousand dreams”
Final journey
我和十二月的泪 开始这流浪
Translation: “I and December’s tears begin this wandering”
3. Full English Translation (Our version)
Hey, is it time to leave? Midnight rings in freezing December.
These are December’s tears scattered on icy streets.
A hundred twenty thousand dreams hang frozen on withered trees.
Suddenly you took back your love – so naturally.
I and December’s tears now begin this destined wandering,
carrying broken dreams, searching for a season to grow again.
4. Key Vocabulary
| Pinyin | Chinese | English |
|---|---|---|
| hán lěng | 寒冷 | bitterly cold |
| kū bài | 枯败 | withered |
| dòng shāng | 冻伤 | frostbite |
| liú làng | 流浪 | to wander |
5. Cultural Notes
December = endings & cold heartbreak in Chinese songs. Using huge numbers (十二万) for emphasis is classic poetic exaggeration.