Learn Mandarin With Music: The Dark Plum Sauce by Ronghao Li
Instructions: Click on the lyric line you wish to learn and to jump to the video. The video will loop around the chosen lyric
Click on the button to listen to the spoken audio for each word. You can pause the video at anytime to listen to the spoken audio, or listen to both at the same time.
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Using the Language Learning Tool
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Start Button
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How It Works:
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Word Buttons
Purpose: Explore individual words for enhanced understanding.
How It Works:
- Each word button corresponds to a word in the currently displayed subtitle.
- Clicking a button plays audio for the word and displays its meaning, transliteration, and etymology.
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Word by Word Dictionary
Every word in the song translated individually for further study. The translations are formated as โChinese Character,Pinyin,Englishโ
่้ | bรจi kร o | Lean against
ๅจ | zร i | On
ๆ ๆ | shรนzhฤซ | Tree branch
ไธ | shร ng | Up
่ป่ | qฤซngtรญng | Dragonfly
่ฝๅจ | luรฒ zร i | Land on
้ฒๆฐด | lรนshuว | Dew
ๆ | pรกng | Beside
ไนๅ | chรฉng liรกng | Cool off
่กจ็ฝ | biวobรกi | Confession
ๅ | hรฒu | After
็ | de | Particle
ไนๆข
| wลซmรฉi | Dark plum
ๆ ไธ | shรน xiร | Below the tree
ๅๅฃค | tวrวng | Soil
ๅไบ่ฝ | fฤ le yรก | Sprouted
็พๅพ | mฤi de | So beautiful
ไธๅ่ฏ | bรน xiร ng huร | Indescribable
ๅ | zร i | Again
่ฎฉ | rร ng | Let
ๆ | wว | Me
ๆณไธๆณ | xiวng yฤซ xiวng | Think about it
้ฃ | nร | That
ๆ่
ป | zuรฌ nรฌ | Most cheesy
็ | de | Particle
ๆ
่ฏ | qรญnghuร | Love words
ๆไน | zฤnme | How
่ฎฒ | jiวng | Say
ๆ
ข็ซ | mร nhuว | Slow fire
็ฌ็ | รกo de | Simmered
็ปๆฐด้ฟๆต | xรฌ shuว chรกng liรบ | Endless stream
ๅฟต | niร n | Cherish
้ฟ้ฟไน
ไน
| chรกng chรกng jiว jiว | Forever
็บฆๅฅฝ | yuฤ hวo | Promise
ๅฐ | dร o | Until
็ฝๅคด | bรกitรณu | White-haired
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆต
ๆต
็ | qiวnqiวn de | Lightly
ๅพฎ็ฌ | wฤixiร o | Smile
ๅฐฑๅ | jiรน xiร ng | Just like
ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ | wลซ mรฉi zว jiร ng | Dark plum sauce
ๆ | wว | I
ๅฐไบ | chรกng le | Tasted
ไฝ | nว | Your
ๅด่ง | zuว jiวo | Corner of the mouth
ๅ่ | chรบngฤo | Lipstick
่่ท | bรฒhรฉ | Mint
ๅณ้ | wรจidร o | Flavor
ๆฏ | shรฌ | Is
็็็ | tiรกn tiรกn de | Sweet
็ฑๆ
| ร iqรญng | Love
ๆฅๅพ | lรกi de | Coming
่ฟไน | zhรจ me | So
็กฎๅฎ | quรจdรฌng | Certain
ๅ ไธบ | yฤซnwรจi | Because
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆฏไธช | mฤi gรจ | Every
ๅฎณ็พ | hร ixiลซ | Shy
็ | de | Particle
ๅๅบ | fวnyรฌng | Reaction
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆต
ๆต
็ | qiวnqiวn de | Lightly
ๅพฎ็ฌ | wฤixiร o | Smile
ๅฐฑๅ | jiรน xiร ng | Just like
ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ | wลซ mรฉi zว jiร ng | Dark plum sauce
่ฟ้ฃ | yรญng fฤng | Against the wind
ๅน่ฟ | chuฤซ guรฒ | Blowing through
ไฝ | nว | Your
็ | de | Particle
ๅคดๅ | tรณufa | Hair
ๆ | wว | I
ๅฅฝ | hวo | Very
ๅๆฌข | xวhuฤn | Like
ๅๅ็ | hรฒu hรฒu de | Thick
็่ๆ | tiรกnmรฌ gวn | Sweet feeling
็จ | yรฒng | Use
ๅนธ็ฆ | xรฌngfรบ | Happiness
็งคๆ | chฤng gวn | Balance
็งค | chฤng | Weigh
ไธไบ | yฤซxiฤ | Some
ๆถ่ | shลucรกng | Collect
ๅ็
ง | hรฉ zhร o | Take a photo together
ไธๅผ | yฤซ zhฤng | One
ๅ | hรฉ | With
ๅค้ณ | xฤซ yรกng | Setting sun
่ | yวo | Scoop
ไธๅบ | yฤซ shรกo | One spoon
่ฟ | zhรจ | This
ๅณ้ | wรจidร o | Taste
ๆฎๆฎ | mรนmรน | Evening after evening
ๆๆ | chรกo chรกo | Morning after morning
ๆฏไพ | bวlรฌ | Proportion
ๅๅๅฅฝ | gฤng gฤng hวo | Just right
ๆ่ | guว rรฒu | Fruit pulp
้
| pรจi | Paired with
็ฆ็ณ | jiฤo tรกng | Caramel
็ | de | Particle
ๆธฉๆ | wฤnrรณu | Tenderness
ๅ | zร i | Again
ๅ ไธช | jว gรจ | A few
ๆฅ็ง | chลซn qiลซ | Spring and autumn
ๆ | wว | I
ๅ | wรจi | Feed
ไฝ | nว | You
ไธๅฃ | yฤซ kวu | One bite
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆต
ๆต
็ | qiวnqiวn de | Lightly
ๅพฎ็ฌ | wฤixiร o | Smile
ๅฐฑๅ | jiรน xiร ng | Just like
ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ | wลซ mรฉi zว jiร ng | Dark plum sauce
ๆ | wว | I
ๅฐไบ | chรกng le | Tasted
ไฝ | nว | Your
ๅด่ง | zuว jiวo | Corner of the mouth
ๅ่ | chรบngฤo | Lipstick
่่ท | bรฒhรฉ | Mint
ๅณ้ | wรจidร o | Flavor
ๆฏ | shรฌ | Is
็็็ | tiรกn tiรกn de | Sweet
็ฑๆ
| ร iqรญng | Love
ๆฅๅพ | lรกi de | Coming
่ฟไน | zhรจ me | So
็กฎๅฎ | quรจdรฌng | Certain
ๅ ไธบ | yฤซnwรจi | Because
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆฏไธช | mฤi gรจ | Every
ๅฎณ็พ | hร ixiลซ | Shy
็ | de | Particle
ๅๅบ | fวnyรฌng | Reaction
ไฝ | nว | You
ๆต
ๆต
็ | qiวnqiวn de | Lightly
ๅพฎ็ฌ | wฤixiร o | Smile
ๅฐฑๅ | jiรน xiร ng | Just like
ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ | wลซ mรฉi zว jiร ng | Dark plum sauce
่ฟ้ฃ | yรญng fฤng | Against the wind
ๅน่ฟ | chuฤซ guรฒ | Blowing through
ไฝ | nว | Your
็ | de | Particle
ๅคดๅ | tรณufa | Hair
ๆ | wว | I
ๅฅฝ | hวo | Very
ๅๆฌข | xวhuฤn | Like
ๅๅ็ | hรฒu hรฒu de | Thick
็่ๆ | tiรกnmรฌ gวn | Sweet feeling
็จ | yรฒng | Use
ๅนธ็ฆ | xรฌngfรบ | Happiness
็งคๆ | chฤng gวn | Balance
็งค | chฤng | Weigh
ไธไบ | yฤซxiฤ | Some
ๆถ่ | shลucรกng | Collect
ๅ็
ง | hรฉ zhร o | Take a photo together
ไธๅผ | yฤซ zhฤng | One
ๅ | hรฉ | With
ๅค้ณ | xฤซ yรกng | Setting sun
ๅๅ็ | hรฒu hรฒu de | Thick
็่ๆ | tiรกnmรฌ gวn | Sweet feeling
็จ | yรฒng | Use
ๅนธ็ฆ | xรฌngfรบ | Happiness
็งคๆ | chฤng gวn | Balance
็งค | chฤng | Weigh
ไธไบ | yฤซxiฤ | Some
ๆถ่ | shลucรกng | Collect
ๅ็
ง | hรฉ zhร o | Take a photo together
ไธๅผ | yฤซ zhฤng | One
ๅ | hรฉ | With
ๅค้ณ | xฤซ yรกng | Setting sun
Line by Line Translations Below
This line-by-line exploration tool is designed to cater to your specific learning needs. By clicking on any line of the song, you can replay it as many times as needed, ensuring you grasp the pronunciation, rhythm, and meaning. This method, a crucial aspect of โtargeted language learning through musicโ, allows you to break down the song into manageable parts, making the learning process less overwhelming and more effective.
่้ ๅจๆ ๆไธ
Bรจi kร o zร i shรนzhฤซ shร ng
Leaning against the tree branch
่ป่่ฝๅจ้ฒๆฐดๆไนๅ
Qฤซngtรญng luรฒ zร i lรนshuว pรกng chรฉngliรกng
The dragonfly lands beside the dew, enjoying the coolness
่กจ็ฝๅ็ไนๆข
ๆ ไธ ๅๅฃคๅไบ่ฝ
Biวobรกi hรฒu de wลซmรฉi shรน xiร tวrวng fฤ le yรก
Beneath the plum tree after the confession, the soil sprouts
็พๅพไธๅ่ฏ
Mฤi de bรน xiร ng huร
So beautiful it’s beyond words
ๅ่ฎฉๆๆณไธๆณ
Zร i rร ng wว xiวng yฤซ xiวng
Let me think about it again
้ฃๆ่
ป็ๆ
่ฏๆไน่ฎฒ
Nร zuรฌ nรฌ de qรญnghuร zฤnme jiวng
How to convey those overly sweet words of love
ๆ
ข็ซ็ฌ็็ปๆฐด้ฟๆต ๅฟต้ฟ้ฟไน
ไน
Mร n huว รกo de xรฌshuว chรกngliรบ niร n chรกng chรกng jiว jiว
The slow fire cooks a lasting affection, missing for a very long time
็บฆๅฅฝๅฐ็ฝๅคด
Yuฤ hวo dร o bรกitรณu
Promise to be together until old age
ไฝ ๆต
ๆต
็ๅพฎ็ฌๅฐฑๅ ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ
Nว qiวnqiวn de wฤixiร o jiรน xiร ng wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng
Your gentle smile is like plum sauce
ๆๅฐไบไฝ ๅด่งๅ่ ่่ทๅณ้
Wว chรกng le nว zuวjiวo chรบngฤo bรฒhรฉ wรจidร o
I tasted the lip balm at the corner of your mouth, a mint flavor
ๆฏ็็็็ฑๆ
ๆฅๅพ่ฟไน็กฎๅฎ
Shรฌ tiรกn tiรกn de ร iqรญng lรกi de zhรจme quรจdรฌng
It’s a sweet love, so certain
ๅ ไธบไฝ ๆฏไธชๅฎณ็พ็ๅๅบ
Yฤซnwรจi nว mฤi ge hร ixiลซ de fวnyรฌng
Because of every shy reaction of yours
ไฝ ๆต
ๆต
็ๅพฎ็ฌๅฐฑๅ ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ
Nว qiวnqiวn de wฤixiร o jiรน xiร ng wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng
Your gentle smile is like plum sauce
่ฟ้ฃๅน่ฟไฝ ็ๅคดๅ ๆๅฅฝๅๆฌข
Yรญng fฤng chuฤซguรฒ nว de tรณufว wว hวo xวhuฤn
The wind blowing through your hair, I really like it
ๅๅ็็่ๆ ็จๅนธ็ฆ็งคๆ็งคไธไบๆถ่
Hรฒuhรฒu de tiรกnmรฌ gวn yรฒng xรฌngfรบ chรจnggวn chฤng yฤซxiฤ shลucรกng
The thick sweetness, weighed with the scale of happiness, is collected
ๅ็
งไธๅผ ๅๅค้ณ
Hรฉzhร o yฤซ zhฤng hรฉ xฤซyรกng
Take a photo together with the sunset
่ไธๅบ่ฟๅณ้
Yวo yฤซ shรกo zhรจ wรจidร o
Scoop a spoonful of this flavor
ๆฎๆฎๆๆๆฏไพๅๅๅฅฝ
Mรนmรน chรกochรกo bวlรฌ gฤnggฤng hวo
Day and night, the proportion is just right
ๆ่้
็ฆ็ณ็ๆธฉๆ ๅๅ ไธชๆฅ็ง
Guวrรฒu pรจi jiฤotรกng de wฤnrรณu zร i jว ge chลซnqiลซ
The fruit pulp matches the tenderness of caramel, through several springs and autumns
ๆๅไฝ ไธๅฃ
Wว wรจi nว yฤซ kวu
I feed you a bite
ไฝ ๆต
ๆต
็ๅพฎ็ฌๅฐฑๅ ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ
Nว qiวnqiวn de wฤixiร o jiรน xiร ng wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng
Your gentle smile is like plum sauce
ๆๅฐไบไฝ ๅด่งๅ่ ่่ทๅณ้
Wว chรกng le nว zuวjiวo chรบngฤo bรฒhรฉ wรจidร o
I tasted the lip balm at the corner of your mouth, a mint flavor
ๆฏ็็็็ฑๆ
ๆฅๅพ่ฟไน็กฎๅฎ
Shรฌ tiรกn tiรกn de ร iqรญng lรกi de zhรจme quรจdรฌng
It’s a sweet love, so certain
ๅ ไธบไฝ ๆฏไธชๅฎณ็พ็ๅๅบ
Yฤซnwรจi nว mฤi ge hร ixiลซ de fวnyรฌng
Because of every shy reaction of yours
ไฝ ๆต
ๆต
็ๅพฎ็ฌๅฐฑๅ ไนๆข
ๅญ้
ฑ
Nว qiวnqiวn de wฤixiร o jiรน xiร ng wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng
Your gentle smile is like plum sauce
่ฟ้ฃๅน่ฟไฝ ็ๅคดๅ ๆๅฅฝๅๆฌข
Yรญng fฤng chuฤซguรฒ nว de tรณufว wว hวo xวhuฤn
The wind blowing through your hair, I really like it
ๅๅ็็่ๆ ็จๅนธ็ฆ็งคๆ็งคไธไบๆถ่
Hรฒuhรฒu de tiรกnmรฌ gวn yรฒng xรฌngfรบ chรจnggวn chฤng yฤซxiฤ shลucรกng
The thick sweetness, weighed with the scale of happiness, is collected
ๅ็
งไธๅผ ๅๅค้ณ
Hรฉzhร o yฤซ zhฤng hรฉ xฤซyรกng
Take a photo together with the sunset
ๅๅ็็่ๆ ็จๅนธ็ฆ็งคๆ็งคไธไบๆถ่
Hรฒuhรฒu de tiรกnmรฌ gวn yรฒng xรฌngfรบ chรจnggวn chฤng yฤซxiฤ shลucรกng
The thick sweetness, weighed with the scale of happiness, is collected
ๅ็
งไธๅผ ๅๅค้ณ
Hรฉzhร o yฤซ zhฤng hรฉ xฤซyรกng
Take a photo together with the sunset
Words of Significance to Learn
1. ไนๆข ๅญ้ ฑ (Wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng) – “Black plum jam”
- Pinyin: Wลซmรฉi zว jiร ng
- English Translation: Black plum jam
- Etymology: ไนๆข (wลซmรฉi, dried black plum) + ๅญ (zว, diminutive particle) + ้ ฑ (jiร ng, sauce/jam).
- Cultural Significance: Black plum jam is a traditional Chinese flavor, associated with nostalgia, sweetness, and warmth. In the song, it metaphorically describes a sweet and lingering love, evoking a comforting and unique taste.
2. ่ป่ (Qฤซngtรญng) – “Dragonfly”
- Pinyin: Qฤซngtรญng
- English Translation: Dragonfly
- Etymology: ่ป (qฤซng, light green/dragonfly) + ่ (tรญng, dragonfly). The compound refers to the insect known for its delicate wings and graceful flight.
- Cultural Significance: Dragonflies in Chinese culture symbolize summer, transformation, and fleeting beauty. They are often used as poetic imagery to reflect lightness and ephemeral moments.
3. ่กจ็ฝ (Biวobรกi) – “Confession”
- Pinyin: Biวobรกi
- English Translation: To confess, declaration
- Etymology: ่กจ (to express) + ็ฝ (plain, clear). It refers to expressing one’s emotions, often in love.
- Cultural Significance: The act of confessing love is a significant theme in Chinese romance, representing courage and sincerity. It often carries a sense of vulnerability.
4. ็ปๆฐด้ฟๆต (Xรฌ shuว chรกng liรบ) – “Trickling water flows long”
- Pinyin: Xรฌ shuว chรกng liรบ
- English Translation: Slow and steady wins the race (literally: trickling water flows long).
- Etymology: ็ปๆฐด (trickling water) + ้ฟๆต (long flow). The idiom describes enduring and steady progress.
- Cultural Significance: This phrase is a metaphor for long-lasting love or relationships, emphasizing patience and consistency over fleeting passion.
5. ็ฝๅคด (Bรกitรณu) – “White hair”
- Pinyin: Bรกitรณu
- English Translation: White hair (symbolizing old age).
- Etymology: ็ฝ (white) + ๅคด (head). It refers to the idea of growing old together with a loved one.
- Cultural Significance: In Chinese culture, the phrase โ็ฝๅคดๅฐ่โ (bรกitรณu dร o lวo) represents the ideal of lifelong companionship and commitment.
6. ๆฎๆฎๆๆ (Mรน mรน zhฤo zhฤo) – “Evenings and mornings”
- Pinyin: Mรน mรน zhฤo zhฤo
- English Translation: Every evening and morning
- Etymology: ๆฎ (evening) + ๆ (morning), repeated for emphasis. It signifies continuity and the passage of time.
- Cultural Significance: This poetic phrase highlights the daily rhythm of life and the enduring nature of a relationship shared over time.
7. ่่ท (Bรฒhรฉ) – “Mint”
- Pinyin: Bรฒhรฉ
- English Translation: Mint
- Etymology: ่ (thin) + ่ท (lotus, herb). Mint is known for its fresh and cooling properties.
- Cultural Significance: Mint often symbolizes freshness and purity in Chinese literature, reflecting the invigorating sensation of new love.
8. ็งคๆ (Chรจnggฤn) – “Balance pole”
- Pinyin: Chรจnggฤn
- English Translation: Balance pole, scale beam
- Etymology: ็งค (scale) + ๆ (pole). It refers to a traditional balance used for weighing.
- Cultural Significance: Scales are symbolic of fairness and precision. In the song, it is used metaphorically to measure and treasure happiness.
9. ๅ็ ง (Hรฉzhร o) – “Group photo”
- Pinyin: Hรฉzhร o
- English Translation: Group photo
- Etymology: ๅ (together) + ็ ง (photo). It refers to a photograph taken with others.
- Cultural Significance: Group photos are cherished mementos in Chinese culture, symbolizing togetherness and capturing moments of shared happiness.
10. ๆ่ (Guวrรฒu) – “Fruit pulp”
- Pinyin: Guวrรฒu
- English Translation: Fruit pulp
- Etymology: ๆ (fruit) + ่ (flesh). It refers to the edible part of the fruit.
- Cultural Significance: Fruit, particularly its sweetness and softness, is often used in Chinese poetry and music as a metaphor for tenderness and the sweet aspects of love.