但愿人长久 (dàn yuàn rén cháng jǐu)
Lyrics: 苏东坡 (sū dōng pō)
Music: 梁弘志 (liáng hóng zhì)
Singer: 邓丽君 (dèng lì jūn)
Video By: 千江月 (qiān jiāng yuè)
(Note: This song is based on a Song Dynasty prose)

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míng
/ clear / bright / to understand / next / the Ming dynasty /
yuè
/ moon / month /
/ small table /
shí
/ time / period /
yǒu
/ to have / there is / there are / to exist / to be /
When did the bright moon come into existence?
/ (a measure word) / (marker for direct-object) / to hold / to contain / to grasp / to take hold of /
jǐu
/ wine / liquor / spirits /
wèn
/ to ask /
qīng
/ green (blue, black) / Qinghai province (abbrev.) /
tiān
/ day / sky / heaven /
Raising my wine cup to ask the heavens this question.
不知
bù zhī
不知
/ unknowing(ly) /
天上
tiān shàng
天上
/ celestial / heavenly /
宫阙
gōng què
宫阙
/ palace /
Not knowing the celestial palace,
jīn
/ today / modern / present / current / this / now /
/ evening /
shì
/ is / are / am / yes / to be /
/ carry / what / how / why / which /
nián
/ year /
In there what year is it now?
/ I / me /
/ desire / wish /
chéng
/ ride / mount / make use of / take advantage of / multiply / to avail of / to ride /
fēng
/ wind / news / style / custom / manner /
guī
/ to go back / to return /
/ to go / to leave / to remove /
I rode on the spring wind to return there,
wéi
/ -ism / only / alone /
kǒng
/ afraid / frightened / to fear /
qíong
/ (red stone) / beautiful /
lóu
/ house with more than 1 story / storied building / floor /
/ jade /
/ room / universe /
Only fearing the magnificent buildings and the jade rooms.
gāo
/ high / tall /
chǔ
/ to reside / to live / to dwell / to be in / to stay / get along with / to be in a position of / deal with /
不胜
bù shèng
不胜
/ cannot bear or stand / be unequal to / very / extremely /
hán
/ cold / poor / to tremble /
Residing at those heights I could not bear the coldness,
/ to rise / to raise / to get up /
舞弄
wǔ nòng
舞弄
/ to wave / to brandish /
qīng
/ clear / distinct / complete / pure /
yǐng
/ picture / image / reflection / shadow /
The dancing created pale shadows,
/ carry / what / how / why / which /
/ to seem / to appear / similar / like / to resemble /
zài
/ (located) at / in / exist / (before verbs) immediately involved in / right in the middle of doing /
rén
/ man / person / people /
jiān
/ between / among / space / (measure word) /
How could this be found in the secular world?
zhuǎn
/ to convey / to forward (mail) / to transfer / to turn / to shift /
zhū
/ (surname) / vermilion /
/ council-chamber / shelf /
Circling the vermilion towers,
/ low / let droop, hang down, to lower /
/ beautiful / open-work silk /
/ a household / door / family /
Seeping through the silk-covered windows,
zhào
/ according to / in accordance with / to shine / to illuminate / to reflect / photograph /
/ -less / not to have / no / none / not / to lack / un- /
mián
/ sleep /
The moonlight illuminates those who are unable to sleep.
/ (negative prefix) / not / no /
应有
yīng yǒu
应有
/ proper /
hèn
/ to hate /
There should not have been any hatred,
/ carry / what / how / why / which /
shì
/ matter / thing / item / work / affair /
cháng
/ length / long / forever / always / constantly /
xiàng
/ direction / part / side / towards / to / guide / opposite to /
bié
/ leave / depart / separate / distinguish / classify / other / another / do not / must not / to pin /
shí
/ time / period /
yuán
/ circle / round / circular / spherical / (of the moon) full / unit of Chinese currency (Yuan) / tactful / to justify /
For what reason is the moon constantly full during times of departure?
rén
/ man / person / people /
yǒu
/ to have / there is / there are / to exist / to be /
bēi
/ sad / sadness / sorrow / grief /
huān
/ joyous / happy / pleased /
/ to leave / to depart / to go away / from /
/ one-tenth of a peck /
People have sorrows and joys, departures and gatherings,
yuè
/ moon / month /
yǒu
/ to have / there is / there are / to exist / to be /
yīn
/ (of weather) overcast / Yin / feminine / moon / cloudy / negative (electric.) / shady /
qíng
/ clear / fine (weather) /
yuán
/ circle / round / circular / spherical / (of the moon) full / unit of Chinese currency (Yuan) / tactful / to justify /
quē
/ lack / scarce / vacant post / to run short of /
The moon has darkness and brightness, roundness and incompleteness,
/ this / these /
shì
/ matter / thing / item / work / affair /
/ ancient / old /
nán
/ difficult (to...) / problem / difficulty / difficult / not good /
quán
/ all / whole / entire / every / complete /
These matters have been hard to reconcile since the ancient times.
但愿
dàn yuàn
但愿
/ if only (it were possible to...) /
rén
/ man / person / people /
长久
cháng jǐu
长久
/ (for a) long time /
Wishing for an eternity for mankind,
qiān
/ thousand /
/ inside / internal / interior /
gòng
/ all together / in while / to share / common / general / together / total /
chán
/ beautiful / graceful /
juān
/ beautiful / graceful /
For a thousand miles the moon shows all its beauty.

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