Zhang Zihao – May or May not

可不可以 kě bù kě yǐ

张紫豪 zhāng zǐ háo

shuō hǎo dài nǐ liú làng
说好带你流浪
Said taking you to wander
 
ér wǒ què bàn lù fǎn háng
而我却半路返航
Yet, halfway I turned back 
 
zhuì luò zì zé de hǎi yáng
坠落自责的海洋
Sinking into the sea of self-blame
 
fā xiàn lí bù kāi nǐ
发现离不开你
Realizing that I cannot separate from you
 
wǒ kāi shǐ jué dìng huí qù
我开始决定回去
I decided to go back
 
nǐ yǐ bú zài yuán dì
你已不在原地
But you are no longer there
 
wǒ kě yǐ jiē shòu nǐ de suǒ yǒu suǒ yǒu xiǎo pí qì
我可以接受你的所有所有小脾气
I can accept your everything, all your small temper
 
wǒ kě yǐ dài nǐ qù chī hěn duō hěn duō hǎo dōng xi
我可以带你去吃很多很多好东西
I can take you to go eat a lot, a lot of good things
 
wǒ kě yǐ ǒu ěr gěi nǐ dài lái dài lái xiǎo tián mì
我可以偶尔给你带来带来小甜蜜
I can sometimes bring you, bring little sweet romance
 
jiù xiàng qián jǐ nián nà yàng
就像前几年那样
Just like those past years
 
měi tiān dōu huì gěi nǐ zhì zào hěn duō jīng xǐ
每天都会给你制造很多惊喜
 I will give you a lot of surprises everyday
 
nǐ de xīn shāng wǒ néng zhì yù
你的心伤 我能治愈
The wound in your heart, I can heal it
 
wǒ de kuài lè yě zhǐ yǒu nǐ néng jǐ yǔ
我的快乐也只有你能给予
Only you can give me happiness
 
wǒ men jiù bié zài fēn lí
我们就别再分离
Let us not separate again
 
♬
 
kě bù kě yǐ hé nǐ zài yì qǐ
可不可以 和你在一起
May I be together with you

wǒ men zhī jiān yǒu tài duō huí yì
我们之间有太多回忆
Too many memories between us
 
ài shàng le nǐ méi shén me dào lǐ
爱上了你 没什么道理
I fall in love with you for no reason
 
zhǐ shì gāng hǎo qíng dòu chū kāi yù dào nǐ
只是刚好情窦初开遇到你
Just in love with you when I met you
 
bù xī wàng wǒ de wèi lái bú shì nǐ
不希望我的未来不是你
I don’t wish my future is not with you
 
zhǐ yuàn yì hé nǐ yǒng yuǎn bù fēn lí
只愿意和你永远不分离
Don’t want to be separated from you forever
 
chèn wǒ hái méi yǒu guò bǎo zhì qī
趁我还没有过保质期
While I still not passed the time
 
chèn nǐ  hái yuàn yì
趁你还愿意
While you still willing
 
♬
 
sān nián de huí yì
三年的回忆
Three years of memories
 
wǒ rú hé mǒ qù
我如何抹去
How do I erase it
 
néng bù néng zài shí qǐ
能不能再拾起
Can we pick it up again

yǒng yuǎn zài yì qǐ
永远在一起
Together forever
 
hái méi yǒu guò qī
还没有过期
Still not passed yet
 
wǒ men jiù bié zài fēn lí
我们就别再分离
Let us not separate again

Learn Mandarin from Song Lyrics

The title 可不可以 means “May or May not” or “Can or can not”. The use of “may” and “can” is often confused even by native speakers. We all know the joke: a student raises their hand and asks the teacher “Can I go to the bathroom?” and the teacher responds, “I don’t know—can you?”

This brings us to a similar topic in Mandarin Chinese, between 会 huì, 能 néng, and 可以 kě yǐ. Each of these words can be used in several situations which can have too many different meanings. We will not discuss the details here. Instead, we will focus on how to use these words in most common situations.

Both 会 and 能 can be translated as “can”. When it is followed by skill, it means having the ability to do something.

他会骑自行车 or 他能骑自行车。

He has the ability to ride bicycle.

Both 能 and 可以 can be translated as “able”, which express possibility.

他能骑自行车 or 他可以骑自行车。

He is able to ride bicycle.

However, when used as negative, 不能 and 不可以 indicates a different meaning.

他不能骑自行车。

He is unable to ride bicycles. (for example: because of leg injury)

他不可以骑自行车。

He is not allowed to ride bicycles. (for example: because his parents does not give him permission)

会 huì is also often used as “will”, which can express willingness to do something in future events. Below is the example from this song lyric:

měi tiān dōu huì gěi nǐ zhì zào hěn duō jīng xǐ
每天都会给你制造很多惊喜

I will give you a lot of surprises everyday