Categories
Interweb Musings Translations

Random JCNet Pride

I’m just randomly feeling proud of myself today. Not for my groundbreaking ability, but because I was, at some point in my life, involved in www.jay-chou.net. The people I have met and kept in touch from there is just incredible. There’s even a Whatsapp chat group now with some of the Singaporean JCNetters, and we go out every so often. I’m floored every time I think of what we have accomplished in and with JCNet.

Before anyone starts to think I must be this massive Jay Chou fan to even join a Jay Chou forum, I am not. A friend of mine was and she raved about how fun the forum was and how they don’t all just talk about Jay. So I decided I was going to try it out and see what it gives me. To my absolute joy, it was the best decision I ever made! There was camaraderie, it was fun and entertaining, and it taught me a whole lot about internet etiquette. I always smile when I remember how we would throw sarcastic remarks on trolls until they crash and burn. BURN!

This was how it looked like when I first joined, back in 2004.

jcnet2

Personally, the best thing that JCNet was known for is their news and translations. We had all the best translations of Jay’s lyrics for every single album, in Han Yu Pin Yin and English. Our translations went far and wide, pilfered left and right, all over the internet. Folks would email our web administrator and demand for the translations if we are a bit late. We were the first place folks who did not understand Mandarin came to as soon as Jay released a new album. We were known. 🙂

Translating lyrics was always hard work and it would never have happened if we didn’t have translators who were dedicated to what they were doing, even though it was entirely voluntary. I’m so proud to have been able to contribute to that team. All the lyrics translations you see on this blog were done by me, and posted on JCNet. Google the translation for 青花瓷, you’d still find my work all over the internet (Over 250,000 results by searching the first line of the English translation). This simple thing just makes me want to puff up my chest and walk with a smug smile on my face. It’s not a fantastic translation, but it was the best I could have done at that time. It’s something like a legacy that I’m leaving in the internet world.

Good things never seem to last, and when Jay stopped producing enough news-worthy albums and all the news and information we could find about him was really the same piece, recycled, the forum sort of died. Plus, most of us just, well, grew up. We were no longer University students with plenty of time on our hands. We graduated, got jobs, got married, had kids! Life outside of JCNet caught up and that phase of our lives just faded into non-existence.

This was just before it was taken down.

jcnet1

Now it’s just gone.

jcnet3

I’m a little sad, but it had its good times and I guess I’d rather have it go when it’s still good, than let it die a cold sorry death.

Categories
Translations 中文

周杰倫 – 心雨

心雨 | Xin Yu | Heart ‘s Rain

曲:周杰倫
Qu : Zhou Jie Lun
Music: Jay Chou

詞:方文山
Ci: Fang Wen Shan
Lyrics: Vincent Fang

Translation: laruku – www.jay-chou.net

 

橡樹的綠葉啊 白色的竹籬笆
xiang shu de lv ye a bai se de zhu li ba
The green oak leaf and the white bamboo fence

好想告訴我的她 這裡像幅畫
Hao xiang gao su wo de ta zhe li xiang fu hua
I wish I could tell her how picturesque it is here

去年的聖誕卡 鏡子裡的鬍渣
Qu nian de sheng dan ka jing zi li de hu zha
I look at the Christmas card last year and then at my stubble in the mirror

畫面開始沒有她 我還在裝傻
Hua mian kai shi mei you ta wo hai zai zhuang sha
She is fading from the picture yet I continue to feign ignorance

說好為我泡花茶 學習擺刀叉
Shuo hao wei wo pao hua cha xue xi bai dao cha
She promised to make me tea and learn to set the table

學生宿舍空蕩蕩的家
Xue sheng su se kong dang dang de jia
But the students’ hostel remains just an empty empty home

守著電話 卻等不到她*
Shou zhe dian hua que deng bu dao ta*
The phone always by my side yet nary a call from her*

#心裡的雨傾盆而下 也沾不濕她的髮
#xin li de yu qing pen er xia Ye zhan bu shi ta de fa
# There’s a rainstorm in my heart yet her hair will be forever dry

淚暈開明信片上的牽掛 那傷心原來沒有時差
Lei yun kai ming xin pian shang de qian gua Na shang xin yuan lai mei you shi cha
As tears smudge words of concern in the postcard I realize sorrow knows no difference in time

心裡的雨傾盆而下 卻始終淋不到她
xin li de yu qing pen er xia Que shi zhong lin bu dao ta
There’s a rainstorm in my heart yet the raindrops will never reach her

寒風經過院子裡的枝椏 也冷卻了我手中的鮮花#
Han feng jing guo yuan zhi li de zhi ya Ye leng que le wo shou zhong de xian hua#
The cold wind passes by the garden and froze the flowers in my hands

REPEAT*##

Categories
Translations 中文

周杰倫 – 牛仔很忙

牛仔很忙 | Niu Zai Hen Mang| Cowboy on the Run

曲:周杰伦
Qu: Zhou Jie Lun
Music: Jay Chou

词:黄俊郎
Ci: Huang Jun Lang
Lyrics: Huang Jun Lang

Translation: ziai & laruku – www.jay-chou.net

呜啦啦啦
Wu la la la
Wu la la la

火车笛 随著奔腾的马蹄
Huo che di Sui zhe ben teng de ma ti
The train whistle, in sync with the galloping horses’ hooves

小妹妹吹著口琴 夕阳下美了剪影
Xiao mei mei chui zhe kou qin / xi yang xia mei le jian ying
The little girl plays the harmonica, her silhouette made beautiful by the sunset

我用子弹写日记
Wo yong zi dan xie ri ji
My days are spent in bullet rain

介绍完了风景 接下来换介绍我自己
Jie shao wan le feng jing / jie xia lai huan jie shao wo zi ji
After we introduce the background, it’s time for my self-introduction

我虽然是个牛仔 在酒吧只点牛奶
Wo sui ran shi ge nui zai / zai jiu ba zhi dian nui nai
Although I am a cowboy, I only order milk at bars.

為什麼不喝啤酒 因為啤酒伤身体
wei shen me bu he pi jiu / yin wei pi jiu shang sheng ti
Why not beer? Because it’s bad for health

很多人不长眼睛 嚣张都靠武器
Hen duo ren bu zhang yan jing / xiao zhang dou kao wu qi
Many are blind, their arrogance comes from their weapons.

赤手空拳就缩成蚂蚁
Chi shou kong quan jiu suo cheng ma yi
Once empty-handed, their guts shrink to that of ants

不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan le / bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it

不用麻烦不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan bu yong ma fan le / bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it, save it

你们一起上 我在赶时间
Ni men yi qi shang / wo zai gan shi jian
Come at me all together, I am rushing for time

每天决斗观眾都累了 英雄也累了
Mei tian jue dou guan zhong dou lei le / ying xiong ye lei le
The audience is tired of duels everyday, so is the hero

不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan le / bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it

副歌不长你们有几个 一起上好了
Fu ge bu chang ni men you ji ge / yi qi shang hao le
The chorus isn’t long so come at me together, no matter your numbers

正义呼唤我 美女需要我
Zheng yi hu huan wo / mei nv xu yao wo
Justice is calling for me, the babes need me

牛仔很忙的
Nui zai hen mang de
The cowboy is very busy

(Hokkien OS:
心愛ㄟ 妳走去叨位 我那ㄟ攏沒看到妳
xim ai eh / li zao ki dou oui / wa na eh long bo kua dio li
My love, where did you go? I didn’t see you at all)

我啦啦啦骑毛驴 因為马跨不上去
Wo la la la qi mao lv / yin wei ma kua bu shang qu
I ride on the donkey, ‘cos I cannot get on the horse.

洗澡都洗泡泡浴 因為可以玩玩具
Xi zao dou xi pao pao yu / yin wei ke yi wan wan ju
I soak in bubble baths, because then I can play with toys.

我有颗善良的心 都只穿假牛皮
Wo you ke shan liang de xin / dou zhi chuan jia niu pi
I have a gentle heart, only wearing synthetic leather

喔跌倒时尽量不压草皮
O die dao shi jin liang bu ya cao pi
Oh! And try not to crush the grass when I fall

枪口它没长眼睛
Qiang kou ta mei zhang yan jing
The guns do not have eyes

我曾经答应上帝 除非是万不得已 我尽量射橡皮筋
Wo ceng jing da ying shang di / chu fei shi wang bu de yi Wo jin liang she xiang pi jin
So I have promised God that I will shoot with rubber bands, unless I am forced to

老闆先来杯奶昔
Lao ban xian lai bei nai xi
Boss, first a cup of milkshake

要逃命前请你 顺便餵餵我那隻小毛驴
Yao tao ming qian qing ni / shun bian wei wei won a zhi xiao mao lv
Before you run for your life, please feed my little donkey

不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan le / bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it

不用麻烦不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan bu yong ma fan le / bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it, save it

你们一起上 我在赶时间
Ni men yi qi shang / wo zai gan shi jian
Come at me all together, I am rushing for time

每天决斗观眾都累了 英雄也累了
Mei tian jue dou guan zhong dou lei le Ying xiong ye lei le
The audience is tired of duels everyday, so is the hero

不用麻烦了 不用麻烦了
Bu yong ma fan le Bu yong ma fan le
Save it, save it

副歌不长你们有几个 一起上好了
Fu ge bu chang ni men you ji ge Yi qi shang hao le
The chorus isn’t long so come at me together, no matter your numbers

正义呼唤我 美女需要我
Zheng yi hu huan wo Mei nv xu yao wo
Justice is calling for me, the babes need me

牛仔很忙的
Nui zai hen mang de
The cowboy is very busy

Categories
Translations 中文

周杰倫 – 菊花臺

菊花台 | Ju Hua Tai | Chrysanthemum Flower Bed
Other Translations: Chrysanthemum Platform

曲:周杰倫
Qu : Zhou Jie Lun
Music: Jay Chou

詞:方文山
Ci: Fang Wen Shan
Lyrics: Vincent Fang

Translation: laruku – www.jay-chou.net

妳 的淚光 柔弱中帶傷
ni / de lei guang / rou ruo zhong dai shang
Your tears reflect pain in its tenderness

慘白的月彎彎 勾住過往
can bai de yue wan wan / gou zhu guo wang
The pale white crescent moon hooks onto the past

夜 太漫長 凝結成了霜
ye / tai man chang / ning jie cheng le shuang
The endless night freezing into frost

是誰在閣樓上 冰冷的絕望
shi shui zai ge lou shang / bing leng de jue wang
Who is in the loft, in icy cold despair

雨 輕輕彈 朱紅色的窗
yu / qing qing tan / zhu hong se de chuang
Rain gently bouncing off the vermillon window

我一生在紙上 被風吹亂
wo yi sheng zai zhi shang / bei feng chui luan
My entire life on paper, messed up by the wind

夢 在遠方 化成一縷香
meng / zai yuan fang / hua cheng yi lv xiang
Dreams become faint in a faraway place

隨風飄散 妳的模樣
sui feng piao san / ni de mo yang
The image of you, drifting in the wind

*菊花殘 滿地傷 妳的笑容已泛黃
ju hua can / man di shang / ni de xiao rong yi fan huang
Crushed chrysanthemums reflect our pain. Your smile has faded

花落人斷腸 我心事靜靜躺
hua luo ren duan chang / wo xin shi jing jing tang
Hearts broken into million pieces like petals falling, I lay my troubles aside

北風亂 夜未央 妳的影子剪不斷
bei feng luan / ye wei yang / ni de ying zi jian bu duan
Northern winds gush and the night is still young. Unable to shake off your shadow

徒留我孤單 在湖面 成雙*
tu liu wo gu dan / zai hu mian / cheng shuang
Leaving me alone with my reflection in the water

花 已向晚 飄落了燦爛
hua / yi xiang wan / piao luo le can lan
Flowers at dusk, fallen splendor

凋謝的世道上 命運不堪
diao xie de shi dao shang / ming yun bu kan
Withering social values, Unthinkable fate

愁 莫渡江 秋心拆兩半
chou / muo du jiang / qiu xin chai liang ban
Don’t cross the river. Worries tearing my heart into half

怕妳上不了岸 一輩子搖晃
pa ni shang bu liao an / yi bei zi yao huang
Afraid that you will be unable to get back ashore, floating for the rest of your life

誰 的江山 馬蹄聲狂亂
shui / de jiang shan / ma ti sheng guang luan
Whose territory is this? Hysterical galloping of horses

我一身的戎裝 呼嘯滄桑
wo yi shen de rong zhuang / hu xiao cang sang
Fully armoured, My life whizzed me by

天 微微亮 妳輕聲的嘆
tian / wei wei liang / ni qing sheng de tan
Coming dawn, you sigh softly

一夜惆悵 如此委婉
yi ye chou chang / ru ci wei wan
A melancholy night such tactful indirectness

REPEAT**

Categories
Translations 中文

周杰倫 – 青花瓷

青花瓷 |Qing Hua Ci| Blue and White Porcelain

曲:- 周杰倫
Qu:- Zhou Jie Lun
Music:- Jay Chou

詞:- 方文山
Ci:- Fang Wen Shan
Lyrics:- Vincent Fang

Translation: laruku (ME!!!) – www.jay-chou.net

素胚勾勒出青花筆鋒濃轉淡
The brush outlines a beautiful pattern, brush strokes becoming lighter

瓶身描繪的牡丹一如妳初妝
The peony on the bottle, simplest beauty, just like you

冉冉檀香透過窗心事我了然
Whiffs of incense smoke bring your troubles to my heart

宣紙上走筆至此擱一半
I pause halfway while painting

釉色渲染仕女圖韻味被私藏
The glazing of the lady’s portrait hides her charm

而妳嫣然的一笑如含苞待放
Your smile, to me, like a budding flower

妳的美一縷飄散 去到我去不了的地方
But your beauty dissipates like smoke, to a place I can never reach

#天青色等煙雨 而我在等妳 (1)
The perfect shade of blue awaits the right weather, like how I wait for you

炊煙裊裊昇起 隔江千萬里
From a thousand miles away, I gaze at the curling chimney smoke

在瓶底書漢隸仿前朝的飄逸
The calligraphy beneath the bottle, elegance of the Han Dynasty

就當我為遇見妳伏筆
Our meeting I foreshadowed

*天青色等煙雨 而我在等妳 (1)
The perfect shade of blue awaits the right weather, like how I wait for you

月色被打撈起 暈開了結局
The moonlight smudged away the remnants of our ending

如傳世的青花瓷自顧自美麗 妳眼帶笑意
Like legendary porcelain obsessed with itself, your eyes full of laughter

色白花青的錦鯉躍然於碗底
Those blue carp seem to come alive on the white bowl

臨摹宋體落款時卻惦記著妳 (2)
While I am imitating the Song inscription I’m thinking of you

妳隱藏在窯燒裡千年的秘密
The eon of secrets you buried in the kiln

極細膩猶如繡花針落地
It’s exquisiteness like an embroidery needle

簾外芭蕉惹驟雨門環惹銅綠 (3)
The banana tree outside brought the sudden downpour, and in turn the copper rust on the door handle

而我路過那江南小鎮惹了妳 (3)
My passing by Jiangnan brings me to you

在潑墨山水畫(4) 裡 妳從墨色深處被隱去(5)
Yet you fade away into the deep abyss of the Chinese painting

#*#*

__________________________________________________ _______________
Translator’s Notes:

Overview:
This song makes use of the metaphor of porcelain to describe love and separation. Separation doesn’t always have to be painful and sad, it can be inscribed for life in memories and in the heart, just like paintings on porcelain, glazed and fixed for eternities. The pain and the sadness can pass with time, but the beauty of the love will always stay.

Points:
1. 天青色等煙雨 而我在等妳
天青色 is a very specific colour of the porcelain that can ONLY be created/set with great difficulty. The temperature of the kiln has to be perfect and the last day of the glazing HAS TO BE on a rainy day. Only then can it achieve that specific colour.
煙雨天 =Rainy Day
Which is why 天青色&煙雨 are inseparable, relating it to the ‘me’ & ‘you’ in the song. Which means that I can ONLY wait for you, and no one else. Nobody else will complete me as you do.

To be more exacting to Vincent Fang’s way of thought, it is the waiting that is the key point in this line. The shade of blue has to patiently ‘wait’ for the rainy weather, just as I can only wait for you…

2. 臨摹宋體落款時卻惦記著妳
This line, literally translated above, actually means that even though dynasties have passed (in reference to Han Dynasty a few lines up), the memory and thought of you does not wane.

3. 簾外芭蕉驟雨門環銅綠
而我路過那江南小鎮了妳

The use of the word  veers from the usual negative implication it has.  in normal usage means ‘annoy; irritate’. However, in this instance, it means attracting or bringing forward something.

It has a much more aggressive implication than simply just bring 2 things together. In the first line,  is used passively, as copper can only wait for the rust to form on it.. Yet in the second line,  is used aggressively. It reflects from a few lines before 天青色等煙雨 而我在等妳 where I am passive. In this instance, I am active. There is a contrast here.

4. 潑墨山水畫
It’s a special type of landscape painting.

潑墨 is the technique used. What happens is that the artist will splash some ink on the canvas, and very quickly use that splatter of ink to create a final landscape painting.

Example 1
Example 2

5. 妳從墨色深處被隱去
This is purely my own take on the lyrics. This line talks about how the other party is gone (dead or otherwise), but she hasn’t entirely vanished, only immortalised in the painting itself, the painting being a metaphor for the heart/mind.

Vincent Fang’s own take on how he came up with the song.. CLICKIE.. I’m actually not far off. *pats back*

Categories
Translations 中文

周杰倫 – 扯

扯 | Che | Nonsensical*

曲:周杰倫
Qu: Zhou Jie Lun
Music: Jay Chou

詞:方文山
Ci: Fang Wen Shan
Lyrics: Vincent Fang

Translation: laruku – www.jay-chou.net

OPENING OS:
巨炮:哎唷!小朋友…你這是…你這是玩這什麼東西啊?
ju pao: ai you! xiao peng you… ni zhe shi.. ni zhe shi wan zhe shen me dong xi a?
Ju Pao: Aiyo! Little kid.. What… What is this you are playing?

jay:扯鈴呀…
Jay: che ling ya…
Jay: Diabolos

巨炮:扯鈴?
ju pao: che ling?
Ju Pao: Diabolos?

jay:嗯…
Jay: en…
Jay: Umm…

巨炮:怎麼聲音好像不大對呀?
ju pao: zen me sheng yin hao xiang bu da dui ya
Ju Pao: Why is the sound different?

jay:什麼聲音?
jay: shen me sheng yin?
Jay: What sound?

巨炮:我說你講話的聲音啊…
ju pao: wo shuo ni jiang hua de sheng yin a…
Ju Pao: I mean your speaking voice…

兩人: 呵呵呵…
liang re: he he he
Both: Hur hur hur

天气 冷的让人生闷气
tian qi / leng de rang ren sheng men qi
Weather, so cold it makes people get mad

火气 我沮丧的很生气
huo qi / wo ju sang de hen sheng qi
Anger, I’m pissed at myself for being depressed

空气 太糟需要有氧气
kong qi / tao zao xu yao you yang qi
Air, so terrible that I really need some oxygen

太多假义气一想就气
tai duo jia yi qi yi xiang jiu qi
Too much of this false brotherhood makes me furious whenever I think of it

敲门 敲敲门
qiao men qiao qiao men
Knock, knock, knocking on the door

基本礼貌叩要先问
ji ben li mao kou yao xian wen
It’s basic courtesy to knock and ask if you can enter

离开也不随手关灯
li kai ye bu sui shou guan deng
Didn’t even bother to switch the lights off when you leave

生活习惯真有够混
sheng huo xi guan zhen you gou hun
Such horrible living habits

敲门 敲敲门
qiao men qiao qiao men
Knock, knock, knocking on the door

简单动作叩也不等
jian dan dong zuo kou ye bu deng
It’s a simple act, yet you can’t even wait for me to allow you to enter the room

你看来虽不像坏蛋
ni kan lai sui bu xiang huai dan
Though you don’t look like a baddie

但做事做人却很蠢
dan zuo shi zuo ren que hen chun
Yet the way you handle people and things is just like an idiot

你像一团沼气
ni xiang yi tuan zhao qi
You’re just like biogas

影响我的士气 损我的英气
ying xiang wo de shi qi / sun wo de ying qi
affecting my morale, damaging my heroic spirit

又那么神气
you na me shen qi
Yet you are so cocky

说话的语气 败坏了风气
shuo hua de yu qi / bai huai le feng qi
The tone of voice you use, fouls up the society’s values

我不想为你为你白花了力气
wo bu xiang wei ni wei ni bai hua le li qi
I don’t want to waste my breath on you

那么会扯去扯铃
na me hui che qu che ling
Since you’re awesome at sprouting nonsense, you should start playing diabolos

扯多你就会上瘾
che duo ni jiu hui shang yin
Do it a few more times, and you’ll be hooked

扯你最善变的表情
che ni zui shan bian de biao qing
Your hypocritical face is annoying

我的解释请你务必要听
wo de jie shi qing ni wu bi yao ting
You’ve got to listen to my explanation

那么会扯去扯铃
na me hui che qu che ling
Since you’re awesome at sprouting nonsense, you should start playing diabolos

却扯不出个命运
que che bu chu ge ming yun
But you can’t bullshit your way in fate

扯你最善变的表情
che ni zui shan bian de biao qing
Your hypocritical face is annoying

嘿你这样说我有一点伤心
hei / ni zhe yang shuo wo you yi dian shang xin
Hey, I’m a little hurt by your words

不停犯错 不停推拖
bu ting fan cuo / bu ting tui tuo
Mistakes after mistakes, excuses after excuses

养了一堆籍口 等它成熟
yang le yi dui jie kou / deng ta cheng shou
Building on a bunch of excuses, waiting for it to come into use

前一秒说是朋友 后一秒诬赖我
qian yi miao shuo shi peng you / hou yi miao wu lai wo
One second we’re buddies, the next second you are maligning me

别再跟我哈啦 我不是个傻瓜
bie zai gen wo ha la / wo bu shi ge sha gua
Stop humouring me, I’m no idiot

说谎就要付出代价
shuo huang jiu yao fu chu dai jia
You have to pay for your lies

是应有的惩罚
shi ying you de cheng fa
It’s justifiable punishment

别再跟我哈啦 你被当成笑话
bie zai gen wo ha la / ni bei dang cheng xiao hua
Stop humouring me, you’re nothing but a joke

自己造成的那尴尬 我也没有办法
zi ji zao cheng de na gan ga / wo ye mei you ban fa
You placed yourself in this awkward situation, nothing I can do about it now

ENDING OS:
巨炮:呵…瞎扯…這個…
ju pao: he… xia che.. zhe ge..
Ju Pao: Hoho.. This really is nonsensical..