1989
一生何求 What More in Life
A man looks back on years of chasing and losing, and realises too late that what he gave away was everything he had. Danny Chan's reflective 1989 hit, sung at KTV when the mood turns thoughtful.
Cantonese. The tune first appeared in Mandarin as Dave Wang's 惦記這一些 (1987).
Find it on YouTubeThe lyrics follow the song. Tap the line being sung to sync. Hold a word for its meaning and tones.
laanglaang冷nyunnyun暖naana那hoho可jauyau休wuiwui回tautau頭dodo多siusiu少gogo個cauchau秋Life's warmth and chill never cease; looking back, so many autumns.
camcham尋pinpin遍liuliu了koekkeuk卻pinpin偏satsat失heoiheui去meimei未paanpaan盼koekkeuk卻zoijoi在sausau手What I searched everywhere for, I lost; what I never hoped for, I hold.
ngongo我dakdak得doudou到mutmut沒jauyau有mutmut沒faatfaat法gaaigaai解siksik釋dakdak得satsat失cocho錯laulau漏Have I gained anything? I can't explain the gains, losses and mistakes.
gonggong剛gonggong剛tengteng聽doudou到mongmong望doudou到binbin便ganggang更goigoi改batbat不ziji知naana那leoileui裡zeoijeui追gaugau究What I just heard and saw has already changed; I don't know where to look for answers.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求soengseung常punpun判kyutkyut決fongfong放heihei棄jyuyu與jungyung擁jauyau有What more do I want from life? Always weighing what to drop or keep.
houhou耗zeonjeun盡ngongo我zeje這jatyat一sangsang生zukjuk觸batbat不doudou到jiyi已paaupaau跑hoihoi開I've spent my whole life; before I can touch it, it's gone.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求maimai迷mongmong惘leoileui裡wingwing永jyunyun遠honhon看batbat不tautau透What more do I want from life? Lost, I never see it clearly.
mutmut沒liuliu料doudou到ngongo我soso所satsat失dikdik的gingging竟jiyi已sisi是ngongo我dikdik的soso所jauyau有I never knew that what I lost was all I ever had.
laanglaang冷nyunnyun暖naana那hoho可jauyau休wuiwui回tautau頭dodo多siusiu少gogo個cauchau秋Life's warmth and chill never cease; looking back, so many autumns.
camcham尋pinpin遍liuliu了koekkeuk卻pinpin偏satsat失heoiheui去meimei未paanpaan盼koekkeuk卻zoijoi在sausau手What I searched everywhere for, I lost; what I never hoped for, I hold.
ngongo我dakdak得doudou到mutmut沒jauyau有mutmut沒faatfaat法gaaigaai解siksik釋dakdak得satsat失cocho錯laulau漏Have I gained anything? I can't explain the gains, losses and mistakes.
gonggong剛gonggong剛tengteng聽doudou到mongmong望doudou到binbin便ganggang更goigoi改batbat不ziji知naana那leoileui裡zeoijeui追gaugau究What I just heard and saw has already changed; I don't know where to look for answers.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求soengseung常punpun判kyutkyut決fongfong放heihei棄jyuyu與jungyung擁jauyau有What more do I want from life? Always weighing what to drop or keep.
houhou耗zeonjeun盡ngongo我zeje這jatyat一sangsang生zukjuk觸batbat不doudou到jiyi已paaupaau跑hoihoi開I've spent my whole life; before I can touch it, it's gone.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求maimai迷mongmong惘leoileui裡wingwing永jyunyun遠honhon看batbat不tautau透What more do I want from life? Lost, I never see it clearly.
mutmut沒liuliu料doudou到ngongo我soso所satsat失dikdik的gingging竟jiyi已sisi是ngongo我dikdik的soso所jauyau有I never knew that what I lost was all I ever had.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求cangchang曾toto妥hiphip協jaaya也sisi試gwogwo過fufu苦daudau鬥What more do I want from life? I've compromised, and I've fought hard.
mungmung夢noinoi內muimui每dimdim點banban繽fanfan紛jatyat一siusiu消saansaan散naana那hoho可sausau收Every bright colour in my dreams, once faded, can't be gathered back.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求seoiseui誰gaigai計gaaugaau較zaanjaan讚meimei美jyuyu與zojo詛zaujau咒What more do I want from life? Who cares about praise or curses?
mutmut沒liuliu料doudou到ngongo我soso所satsat失dikdik的gingging竟jiyi已sisi是ngongo我dikdik的soso所jauyau有I never knew that what I lost was all I ever had.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求soengseung常punpun判kyutkyut決fongfong放heihei棄jyuyu與jungyung擁jauyau有What more do I want from life? Always weighing what to drop or keep.
houhou耗zeonjeun盡ngongo我zeje這jatyat一sangsang生zukjuk觸batbat不doudou到jiyi已paaupaau跑hoihoi開I've spent my whole life; before I can touch it, it's gone.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求maimai迷mongmong惘leoileui裡wingwing永jyunyun遠honhon看batbat不tautau透What more do I want from life? Lost, I never see it clearly.
mutmut沒liuliu料doudou到ngongo我soso所satsat失dikdik的gingging竟jiyi已sisi是ngongo我dikdik的soso所jauyau有I never knew that what I lost was all I ever had.
jatyat一sangsang生hoho何kaukau求cangchang曾toto妥hiphip協jaaya也sisi試gwogwo過fufu苦daudau鬥What more do I want from life? I've compromised, and I've fought hard.
Timed to 陳百強 · 一生何求 (1989) · 4:48. Another version? Tap the line being sung whenever it drifts.