CHRISTMAS SONGS TO PRACTICE YOUR MANDARIN CHINESE
It’s the season for a good song and a dance, it’s of course Christmas time, and so we bring to you our festive themed blog piece. And this Christmas we’re giving a wonderful list of Christmas songs translated into their respective Mandarin versions to you special and enthusiastic Mandarin learners (plus one original Chinese Christmas song), so you can get into festive spirit and use this to practice your Mandarin Chinese. But firstly we want to wish you a very…
Shènɡdàn kuàilè!
圣诞快乐!
Merry Christmas
There is a myth that Chinese or Mandarin speakers make better singers simply because the Mandarin language is a tonal one, however actually in Mandarin songs the four tones associated with natural speech are taken over by the melody. Having said that it is maybe the fact that the Chinese exercise different tones in their speaking and listening that makes them more suitable to singing even though their songs are adapt the tones. This is also probably why Karaoke Television, a.k.a. KTV is enormously popular in China.
Does singing help improve your Mandarin Chinese? Singing to learn any language helps but especially so for Mandarin as it exercises your vocal ability and tonal range, but also because Mandarin is such an expressive language, the song form is well matched. Learning a catchy song is best as you won’t be able to get the tune out of your head, and this will certainly help with your pronunciation and to remember certain words and phrases.
We don’t want to keep you waiting any longer, so here are 4 Christmas songs in Mandarin.
Líng’er xiǎng dīng dāng
铃儿响叮当
Jingle Bells
Chōngpò dà fēngxuě, wǒmen zuò zài xuěqiāo shàng
冲破大风雪, 我们坐在雪橇上
Bēnchí guò tiányě, huānxiào yòu gēchàng
奔驰过田野, 欢笑又歌唱
Líng’er xiǎng dīngdang, lìng rén jīngshén duō huānchàng
铃儿响叮当, 令人精神多欢畅
Jīnwǎn huáxuě zhēn kuàilè, bǎ huáxuě gē’er chàng
今晚滑雪真快乐, 把滑雪歌儿唱
Dīngding dāng! dīngding dāng! Líng’er xiǎng dīngdang
叮叮当！叮叮当！铃儿响叮当
Wǒmen huáxuě duō kuàilè, wǒmen zuò zài xuěqiāo shàng
我们滑雪多快乐, 我们坐在雪橇上
Dīngding dāng! dīngding dāng! Líng’er xiǎng dīngdang
叮叮当！叮叮当！铃儿响叮当
Wǒmen huáxuě duō kuàilè, wǒmen zuò zài xuěqiāo shàng
我们滑雪多快乐, 我们坐在雪橇上
English Translation:
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
Over the fields we go, laughing all the way.
Bells on bobtail ring, making spirits bright.
What fun it is to ride and sing, in a one-horse open sleigh! Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleigh! Hey!
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to ride, in a one-horse open sleigh!
*Here is a video so you can sing along.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2IbnkF7UWU
Wǒmen zhù nǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè
我们祝你圣诞快乐
We Wish you a Merry Christmas
Wǒmen zhù nǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè, wǒmen zhùnǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè
我们祝你圣诞快乐, 我们祝你圣诞快乐
Wǒmen zhù nǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè, zhùnǐ xīnnián kuàilè
我们祝你圣诞快乐, 祝你新年快乐
Wǒmen zhù nǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè, wǒmen zhùnǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè
我们祝你圣诞快乐, 我们祝你圣诞快乐
Wǒmen zhù nǐ Shènɡdàn kuàilè, zhùnǐ xīnnián kuàilè
我们祝你圣诞快乐, 祝你新年快乐
Bǎ xīnɡxinɡ dàidào měi yíɡè jiǎoluò, bǎ xīnnián de xīnxù dài ɡěi nǐmen hé wǒ
把星星带到每一个角落, 把新年的心绪带给你们和我
English Translation
We wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas
We wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year
We wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas
We wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year
Bring the stars to every corner, bring the new year's mood to you and me
Here is the video so you can keep on singing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEba7AgC4QI
平安夜
Píng'ān Yè
Silent Night
Píng’ān Yè，Shèngshàn Yè!
平安夜，圣善夜！
Wàn’àn zhōng, guānghuá shè ,
万暗中，光华射，
Zhào zhe Shèngmǔ yě zhào zhe Shèngyīng ,
照着圣母也照着圣婴，
Duōshao cíxiáng yě duōshao tiānzhēn ,
多少慈详也多少天真，
Jìngxiǎng tiāncì ānmián,
静享天赐安眠，
Jìngxiǎng tiāncì ānmián.
静享天赐安眠。
Píng’ān Yè, shèngshàn yè!
平安夜，圣善夜！
Mùyángrén, zài kuàngyě,
牧羊人，在旷野，
Hūrán kànjian le tianshàng guānghuá,
忽然看见了天上光华，
Tīngjiàn tiānjūn chàng hālìlùyà,
听见天军唱哈利路亚，
Jiùzhǔ jīnyè jiàngshēng,
救主今夜降生，
Jiùzhǔ jīnyè jiàngshēng!
救主今夜降生！
Píng’ān Yè, shèngshàn yè!
平安夜，圣善夜！
Shénzǐ ài, guāng jiǎojié ,
神子爱，光皎洁，
Jiùshú hóngēn de límíng láidào ,
救赎宏恩的黎明来到，
Shèngróng fāchū lái róngguāng pǔzhào ,
圣容发出来荣光普照，
Yēsū wǒzhǔ jiàngshēng,
耶稣我主降生，
Yēsū wǒzhǔ jiàngshēng!
耶稣我主降生！
English Translation
Silent night, Holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night
Shepherds quake at the sight
Glories stream from Heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah
Christ the Saviour is born
Christ the Saviour is born
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
And here’s the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQzXDFTbWrA
It was very slim pickings to find an original Mandarin Christmas song, but we’ve found some, and one of them is called ‘Lonely Christmas’ by very popular Chinese pop superstar Eason Chan. It’s actually more of a love song than a Christmas song but it’s got the word Christmas in it so it counts haha.
Shèngdàn Jié
圣诞结
Lonely Christmas
By Eason Chan
Wǒ zhù de chéngshì cóngbù xiàxuě
我住的城市从不下雪
Jìyì què duīmǎn lěng de gǎnjué
记忆却堆满冷的感觉
Sīniàn dào wàngjì
思念到忘记
Níhóng sǎo guò xuānhuá de jiē
霓虹扫过喧哗的街
Bǎ kuàilè gǎn dé hǎo yuǎn
把快乐赶得好远
Repeat:
Luòdān de liànrén zuì pà guòjié
落单的恋人最怕过节
Zhīnéng dúzì qìngzhù jìnliàng hē zuì
只能独自庆祝尽量喝醉
Wǒ ài guò de rén
我爱过的人
Méiyǒu yīgè liú zài shēnbiān
没有一个留在身边
Jìmò tā péiwǒ guòyè
寂寞他陪我过夜
Merry Merry Christmas
*sung in
English
Lonely Lonely Christmas
*sung in
English
Xiǎng zhùfú bù zhī gāi gěi shuí
想祝福不知该给谁
ài bèi wǒmen dǎ le
sǐjié
爱被我们打了死结
Lonely Lonely Christmas
*sung in
English
Merry Merry Christmas
*sung in
English
Xiě le kǎpiàn néng jì gěi shuí
写了卡片能寄给谁
Xīnsuì de xiàng jiēshang
de zhǐxiè )
心碎的象街上的纸屑)
Diànhuà bù jiē búyào bèi
rén fāxiàn
电话不接 不要被人发现
Wǒ zhěngyè dōu guān zài fángjiān
我整夜都关在房间
Huǎnhuǎn de xiǎngshēng
缓缓的响声
Tīng lái xiàng āidào de yīnyuè
听来象哀悼的音乐
Yǎnkuàng de lèi wēnrè dòngjié
眼眶的泪 温热冻结
Wàngzhe diànshì lǐ de wúliáo jiémù
望着电视里的无聊节目
Tǎng zài shāfā shàng
躺在沙发上
Biànchéng méi zhījué de zhíwù
变成没知觉的植物
Repeat:
(Merry Merry Christmas
*sung in
English
Lonely Lonely Christmas
*sung in
English
Xiǎng zhùfú bù zhī gāi gěi shuí
想祝福不知该给谁
ài bèi wǒmen dǎ le
sǐjié
爱被我们打了死结
Lonely Lonely Christmas
*sung in
English
Merry Merry Christmas
*sung in
English
Xiě le kǎpiàn néng jì gěi shuí
写了卡片能寄给谁
Xīnsuì de xiàng jiēshang
de zhǐxiè )
心碎的象街上的纸屑)
Shuí lái péiwǒ guò zhè Shèngdàn
Jié
谁来陪我过这圣诞节
English translation
It has never snowed in my city
but cold memories pile up in my heart
With longing I forget
that the noisy street was swept clean by the neon light
and happiness is driven far away
Lonely lovers fear nothing more than festive days,
celebrating alone, they drown their pain
The people I once loved,
None are by my side,
Only loneliness accompanies me through the night.
Merry Merry Christmas
Lonely Lonely Christmas
I want to wish but don’t know who to wish to,
Our love is tied into a knot
Lonely Lonely Christmas
Merry Merry Christmas
Who can I write a card too?
Nothing but bits of paper from a broken heart
Do not pick up the phone,
Don’t let anyone know that I lock myself in the room all night
The slow sound,
Sounding like mourning music
Tears in the eyes
Watching boring shows on TV
Lying on the sofa
Turning into a plant without any consciousness
Merry Merry Christmas
Lonely Lonely Christmas
I want to wish but don’t know who to wish to,
Our love is tied into a knot
Lonely Lonely Christmas
Merry Merry Christmas
Who can I write a card too?
Nothing but bits of paper from a broken heart
Who will be with me this Christmas.
Well wasn’t that a powerful but a bummer of a song for Christmas hey, but nevermind, it didn’t stop you from listening to Adele or Taylor Swift. Feel free to sing along through the following link. Hearing yourself sing in Mandarin Chinese will cheer yourself up anyway no matter the meaning of the lyrics haha.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDbdvD4jsTk
And last but not least, two more songs on our list.
2999 Nián de Shèngdàn Jié
2999年的圣诞节
Christmas in the year 2999
By Michael Wong
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AylzBycr5WQ
Shèngdàn Jié
圣诞节
Christmas Day
By Exo
*technically they are actually a Korean boy band but this Christmas song has a Mandarin version.
