Learn Chinese Weekly

(In some cultures, yellow roses represent infidelity.)

蔓生 (mànshēng) refers to an overgrown plant that goes in all directions and tangles with other plants. In this song, a man is likening his dissolute girlfriend to a rambling wild rose.

游荡 (yóudàng) means to wander everywhere.

浪荡 (làngdàng) and 放荡 (fàngdàng) are words that refer to a person who is loose in morals. The words 淫乱 (yínluàn dissolute, promiscuous) and 淫荡 (yíndàng lewd) refer to one whose sexual behavior is considered unacceptable.

不忠 (bù zhōng) means unfaithfulness in general. One could be unfaithful to one’s king, one’s employer, one’s friend, or one’s spouse. For that matter, one could be unfaithful to one’s own conscience, i.e. 不忠于自己的良心 (bù zhōngyú zìjǐ de liángxīn).

婚外情 (hūnwàiqíng) is extra-marital love affair. It’s also referred to as 外遇 (wàiyù).

安娜发现她的丈夫有婚外情.
Ānnà fāxiàn tā de zhàngfū yǒu hūnwàiqíng.
Anna found out her husband had an extra-marital affair.

With unmarried couples, the word to use for ceasing to be faithful is 变心 (biànxīn change of heart), or 移情别恋 (yí qíng bié liàn shoft of love).

没想到他这么快就移情别恋了.
Méi xiǎngdào tā zhème kuài jiù yí qíng bié liànle.
I didn’t expect him to fall in love with somebody else so soon.

The one who lost the love is said to be 失恋了 (shīliànle).

野 (yě) is the word for wild, as in 野果 (yě guǒ wild fruits), 野兽 (yěshòu beasts), and 野生动物 (yěshēng dòngwù wild animals). 野蛮 (yěmán) means brutal.

野 (yě) also means unrestrained. For example,

他的心很野.
Tā de xīn hěn yě.
He is wild at heart.

Now, pay attention. 野心 (yěxīn) does not mean a wild heart. Rather, it refers to one’s ambition.

他的野心是征服整个亚洲.
Tā de yěxīn shì zhēngfú zhěnggè yàzhōu.
His ambition was to conquer the entire Asia.

A philanderer could be called 花心的人 (huāxīn de rén) or 花花公子 (huāhuā gōngzǐ playboy).

世界上许多国家对女性比男性
Shìjiè shàng xǔduō guójiā duì nǚxìng bǐ nánxìng
Many countries in the world, women more so than men are

更严格要求遵守贞操和其他道德准则.
gèng yángé yāoqiú zūnshǒu zhēncāo hé qítā dàodé zhǔnzé.
are strictly required to observe chastity and other moral codes.

在早期的中国,
Zài zǎoqí de zhōngguó,
In earlier China,

虽然有钱有势的男人娶多个妻子是很常见的,
suīrán yǒu qián yǒu shì de nánrén qǔ duō gè qīzǐ shì hěn chángjiàn de,
while it was common for rich and powerful men to take on multiple wives,

但女人顶嘴长辈或妻子与其他男人调情
dàn nǚrén dǐngzuǐ zhǎngbèi huò qīzǐ yǔ qítā nánrén tiáoqíng
a woman talking back to elders or a wife flirting with some other men

会被视为不守妇道.
huì bèi shì wéi bù shǒu fùdào.
would be considered lacking virture.

对此类违法行为的惩罚可能非常严厉.
Duì cǐ lèi wéifǎ xíngwéi de chéngfá kěnéng fēicháng yánlì.
Punishment for such transgressions can be very severe.

婚姻是一个爱的契约.
Hūnyīn shì īgè ài de qìyuē.
Marriage is a contract.

不忠是违反婚姻誓言的行为.
Bù zhōng shì wéifǎn hūnyīn shìyán de xíngwéi.
Infidelity is a breach of the marriage vow.

其实, 在任何人与人之间的关系中,
Qíshí, zài rènhé rén yǔ rén zhī jiān de guānxì zhōng,
In fact, in any relationship,

一方都应该对另一方忠诚.
yīfāng dōu yīnggāi duì lìng yīfāng zhōngchéng.
one is expected to be faithful to the other party.

不忠是对信任的破坏.
Bù zhōng shì duì xìnrèn de pòhuà.
Infidelity is a breach of trust.

我希望在恋爱关系中的每一个人
Wǒ xīwàng zài liàn’ài guānxì zhōng de měi yīgè rén
I hope every one in a love relationship

都能记住自己的承诺并保持忠诚.
dōu néng jì zhù zìjǐ de chéngnuò bìng bǎochí zhōngchéng.
will remember their promises and remain true.

忠贞的爱情好似陈年的葡萄酒, 弥久弥香.
Zhōngzhēn de àiqíng hǎosì chén nián de pútáojiǔ, mí jiǔmí xiāng.
Loyal love is like aged wine that improves over time.

情人节快乐!
Qíngrén Jié kuàilè!
Happy Valentine’s Day!