Song lyric · ci to the tune Lü Tou Ya (also called Duo Li), 139 characters in two stanzas宋词 · 词，词牌《绿头鸭》（又名《多丽》），双调一百三十九字

lǜ绿tóu头yā鸭·wǎn晚yún云shōu收

cháo晁duān端lǐ礼Chao Duanli · Song宋

Lü Tou Ya: The Evening Clouds Clear

wǎn晚yún云shōu收

dàn淡tiān天yí一piàn片liú琉lí璃

làn烂yín银pán盘

lái来cóng从hǎi海dǐ底

hào皓sè色qiān千lǐ里chéng澄huī辉

yíng莹wú无chén尘

sù素é娥dàn淡zhù伫

jìng静kě可shǔ数

dān丹guì桂cēn参cī差

yù玉lù露chū初líng零

jīn金fēng风wèi未lǐn凛

yì一nián年wú无sì似cǐ此jiā佳shí时

lù露zuò坐jiǔ久

shū疏yíng萤shí时dù度

wū乌què鹊zhèng正nán南fēi飞

yáo瑶tái台lěng冷

lán阑gān干píng凭nuǎn暖

yù欲xià下chí迟chí迟

niàn念jiā佳rén人

yīn音chén尘bié别hòu后

duì对cǐ此yīng应jiě解xiāng相sī思

zuì最guān关qíng情

lòu漏shēng声zhèng正yǒng永

àn暗duàn断cháng肠

huā花yǐng影tōu偷yí移

liào料dé得lái来xiāo宵

qīng清guāng光wèi未jiǎn减

yīn阴qíng晴tiān天qì气yòu又zhēng争zhī知

gòng共níng凝liàn恋

rú如jīn今bié别hòu后

hái还shì是gé隔nián年qī期

rén人qiáng强jiàn健

qīng清zūn尊sù素yǐng影

cháng长yuàn愿xiāng相suí随

Underlined words have notes: tap one. The Pinyin button below shows or hides all pinyin. 一 and 不 are marked with the tone you actually say.字下有虚线的，点开有注释。下方的“拼音”按钮可以显示或隐藏全部拼音。“一”“不”标的是实际读出来的变调。

The edition used here has two slips: "fireflies" (shū yíng) is written with a look-alike character meaning "lustrous", and "about to set" (yù xià) is written with the character for "jade" (yù). Both look like copying or conversion mistakes. This page follows the common text, including its spelling of lán gān (railing).

这里用的整理本有两处字不同：“疏萤时度”写成了“疏莹”，“欲下迟迟”写成了“玉下迟迟”，应是传抄或转换时出的错。通行本作“疏萤”“欲下”，“阑干”也照通行本写法，这里照通行本。

Line by line逐句翻译

晚云收The evening clouds clear away,傍晚的云散去了，
淡天一片琉璃and the pale sky is one sheet of clear glass.淡淡的天空像一大片透明的琉璃。
烂银盘A dazzling silver plate一轮亮闪闪的银盘，
来从海底rises up from the bottom of the sea,从海底升了上来，
皓色千里澄辉and its white light shines clear for a thousand miles.洁白的月光照亮千里，清澈明亮。
莹无尘So bright and clean, without a speck of dust,月亮晶莹透亮，没有一点灰尘，
素娥淡伫you can see Chang'e standing there quietly,能看见嫦娥静静地站在那里，
静可数and so still you could almost count静得几乎能一棵一棵数清
丹桂参差the uneven osmanthus trees in the moon palace.月宫里高高低低的桂树。
玉露初零White dew is just beginning to fall,白露刚开始落下，
金风未凛the autumn wind is not yet cold;秋风还没有变冷，
一年无似此佳时no time in the whole year is as fine as this.一年里再没有比这更好的时候了。
露坐久I sit out in the open a long while;在露天坐了很久，
疏萤时度a few fireflies drift past now and then,稀稀落落的萤火虫不时飞过，
乌鹊正南飞and magpies are flying south.乌鹊正往南飞去。
瑶台冷The high terrace is cold,高台上清冷冷的，
阑干凭暖I lean on the railing until it grows warm,我靠着栏杆，把它都靠暖了，
欲下迟迟and the moon, about to set, goes down so slowly.月亮要落了，却迟迟不肯落下。
念佳人I think of my beloved:想起心爱的人，
音尘别后since we parted there has been no word,分别以后就没了消息，
对此应解相思and looking at this moon, she too must know what longing is.她看着这月亮，也该懂得相思的滋味。
最关情What stirs me most最让人动心的是，
漏声正永is the water clock dripping on through the long night;滴漏的声音一直响着，夜那么长；
暗断肠what quietly breaks my heart最让人暗暗伤心的是，
花影偷移is the flower shadows slowly creeping, as time slips by.花影悄悄地移动，时间在走。
料得来宵I expect that tomorrow night我猜明天晚上，
清光未减the moonlight will be no less,月光也不会减少，
阴晴天气又争知but who can know if the sky will be cloudy or clear?可是阴天还是晴天，谁又能知道呢？
共凝恋We gaze at it fondly together,我们一起深情地望着它，
如今别后but after we part tonight,可是这次分别以后，
还是隔年期the next such meeting is a year away.下一次又要等上一年。
人强健So long as we stay well and strong,只要人身体健康，
清尊素影with a cup of clear wine and the white moon,一杯清酒，一轮明月，
长愿相随I hope they stay with us for ever.但愿它们永远陪着我们。

Words字词注释

晚云收wǎn yún shōu: wǎn yún shōu: the evening clouds clear away.晚云收：傍晚的云散开了。
淡天dàn tiān: dàn tiān: a pale sky.淡天：颜色很淡的天空。
琉璃liú lí: liú lí: a clear, shining material like glass. Here it shows how clean and bright the sky is.琉璃：一种透明发亮的东西，像玻璃。这里形容天空又干净又透亮。
烂银盘làn yín pán: làn yín pán: a dazzling silver plate, meaning the full moon. Làn means brilliant.烂银盘：亮闪闪的银盘子，比喻圆月。烂，明亮、灿烂。
来从海底lái cóng hǎi dǐ: lái cóng hǎi dǐ: rising from the bottom of the sea. Watching the moon rise over the water, people said it came up from the sea floor.来从海底：从海底升上来。古人看月亮从海面升起，就说它来自海底。
皓色hào sè: hào sè: pure white colour, meaning moonlight.皓色：洁白的颜色，指月光。
澄辉chéng huī: chéng huī: clear, bright light.澄辉：清澈的光辉。
莹无尘yíng wú chén: yíng wú chén: sparkling clear, without a speck of dust.莹无尘：晶莹明亮，没有一点灰尘。
素娥sù é: sù é: Chang'e, the goddess said to live on the moon. Sù means white.素娥：嫦娥，传说中住在月亮上的仙女。素，白色。
淡伫dàn zhù: dàn zhù: standing quietly and faintly. Zhù means to stand for a long time.淡伫：淡淡地、静静地站着。伫，久久站立。
丹桂dān guì: dān guì: a red osmanthus tree. Legend says an osmanthus grows on the moon.丹桂：红色的桂花树。传说月亮上有一棵桂树。
玉露初零yù lù chū líng: yù lù chū líng: white dew is just beginning to fall. Líng means to drop.玉露初零：白色的露水刚刚开始落下。零，落下。
金风未凛jīn fēng wèi lǐn: jīn fēng wèi lǐn: the autumn wind is not yet cold. Jīn fēng, "metal wind", is the autumn wind, since old thinking linked autumn with metal; lǐn means bitterly cold.金风未凛：秋风还不冷。金风，秋风，古人把秋天和“金”配在一起；凛，寒冷。
无似此佳时wú sì cǐ jiā shí: wú sì cǐ jiā shí: no time is as fine as this.无似此佳时：没有比得上这个时候的好日子。
露坐lù zuò: lù zuò: to sit out in the open air.露坐：在露天里坐着。
疏萤时度shū yíng shí dù: shū yíng shí dù: a few fireflies drift past now and then. Dù means to pass across.疏萤时度：稀稀落落的萤火虫，不时飞过。度，飞过。
乌鹊正南飞wū què zhèng nán fēi: wū què zhèng nán fēi: magpies are flying south. It borrows a line from Cao Cao's "Short Song": "The moon is bright, the stars are few, the magpies fly south."乌鹊正南飞：乌鹊正往南飞。借用曹操《短歌行》里“月明星稀，乌鹊南飞”的句子。
瑶台yáo tái: yáo tái: the jade terrace where immortals live. Here it means the moon palace, and also the high terrace where the poet watches the moon.瑶台：传说中神仙住的玉台，这里指月宫，也指人站着赏月的高台。
阑干凭暖lán gān píng nuǎn: lán gān píng nuǎn: leaning on the railing so long that the cold rail grows warm. Píng means to lean on.阑干凭暖：靠着栏杆太久，把冰凉的栏杆都靠暖了。凭，靠着。
欲下迟迟yù xià chí chí: yù xià chí chí: the moon is about to set, but goes down slowly, as if unwilling. Chí chí means slowly.欲下迟迟：月亮要落下去了，却慢慢地不肯落。迟迟，慢慢的样子。
佳人jiā rén: jiā rén: the beloved.佳人：心爱的人。
音尘yīn chén: yīn chén: news, word from someone.音尘：消息。
应解相思yīng jiě xiāng sī: yīng jiě xiāng sī: she too must know what longing feels like. Jiě means to understand.应解相思：也应该懂得思念的滋味。解，懂得。
关情guān qíng: guān qíng: to stir the heart.关情：牵动心情。
漏声正永lòu shēng zhèng yǒng: lòu shēng zhèng yǒng: the drip of the water clock goes on and on, meaning the night is long. A lòu was a water clock that told time by dripping water.漏声正永：滴漏的声音正长，意思是夜很长。漏，古代用滴水来计时的器具。
断肠duàn cháng: duàn cháng: "broken insides", meaning heartbroken.断肠：形容伤心到了极点。
花影偷移huā yǐng tōu yí: huā yǐng tōu yí: the shadows of the flowers quietly shift as the moon moves.花影偷移：花的影子随着月亮悄悄移动。
料得liào dé: liào dé: to guess, to expect.料得：估计、猜想。
来宵lái xiāo: lái xiāo: tomorrow night.来宵：明天晚上。
清光qīng guāng: qīng guāng: clear moonlight.清光：清亮的月光。
争知zhēng zhī: zhēng zhī: how can one know. Zhēng here means "how".争知：怎么知道。争，怎么。
凝恋níng liàn: níng liàn: gazing fondly, unwilling to look away.凝恋：专注地、恋恋不舍地看着。
隔年期gé nián qī: gé nián qī: a meeting that must wait a year. A moon as full and fine as tonight's will not come again for a year.隔年期：要等到明年才能再见。这里说的是像今晚这样的圆月，要等一年。
强健qiáng jiàn: qiáng jiàn: healthy and strong.强健：身体健康结实。
清尊qīng zūn: qīng zūn: a cup of clear wine. Zūn is a wine vessel.清尊：盛着清酒的酒杯。尊，酒杯。
素影sù yǐng: sù yǐng: the white shadow, meaning the moon.素影：洁白的月影，指月亮。

How to read it读音

数shǔ: Here this character is a verb, "to count", so it is read shǔ.“数”在这里是动词“一个一个地数”，读 shǔ。
参cēn: Cēn cī means uneven, of different heights and lengths.“参差”读 cēn cī，是长短高低不齐的样子。
差cī: In cēn cī, this character is read cī.“参差”的“差”读 cī。
干gān: Lán gān means a railing; this character is read gān.“阑干”就是栏杆，“干”读 gān。
争zhēng: In zhēng zhī, this character means "how", but it is still read zhēng.“争知”的“争”是“怎么”的意思，读音不变，仍读 zhēng。
还hái: Hái shì means "still is", so this character is read hái.“还是”是“仍然是”的意思，读 hái。

Background创作背景

This ci is about watching the moon on an autumn night, and it is usually read as a Mid-Autumn poem. It says white dew is just beginning to fall while the autumn wind is not yet cold, which fits the middle of autumn. It also says no time of year is as fine, and that such a moon comes only once a year, so readers take it as a poem for the Mid-Autumn Festival. When and where the poet wrote it is no longer known.

这首词写的是秋天夜里赏月，一般认为写的是中秋。词里说“玉露初零，金风未凛”，正是初秋到仲秋露水开始降下的时候；又说“一年无似此佳时”“还是隔年期”，这样圆满的月亮要一年才见一次，所以人们把它当作中秋词来读。词人具体在哪一年、什么地方写的，已经不清楚了。

The poet作者

Chao Duanli (1046–1113) was a Northern Song ci poet. As a young man he passed the top exam and served as a local official, but he later lost his post and lived quietly for many years. Late in life he was recommended to the court's music bureau, the Dasheng Office, and he died soon after. His ci are musical and full of fine detail; this one makes a moonlit night feel clear and bright.

晁端礼（1046—1113），字次膺，北宋词人。他年轻时考中进士，做过地方官，后来因事丢了官，闲居了很多年。晚年他被推荐到朝廷管音乐的机构大晟府，不久就去世了。他的词音律和谐，写景细致，这首词就把月夜写得又清又亮。

The mood意境

The first stanza is like a moonlit picture slowly unrolling. First the evening clouds clear, and the sky is a sheet of clear glass. Then a silver plate rises from the sea, and its light covers a thousand miles. The moon is so clean you can see Chang'e, and could almost count the osmanthus trees one by one. Dew is just falling and the wind is not yet cold. The poet sits outside a long time, watching fireflies drift by and magpies fly south. He leans on the railing until it grows warm, and the moon seems unwilling to set. The second stanza turns from the moon to people. He thinks of his beloved far away; she is looking at the same moon and must be longing too. The night is long, the flower shadows move, and time slips quietly away. Tomorrow's moon may be just as bright, but no one knows if clouds will come, and a moon this fine will not return for a year. In the end he only hopes they stay safe and well, with wine and the moon for ever. It brings to mind Su Shi's famous wish that people may live long and share the same moon though a thousand miles apart.

上阕像一幅慢慢展开的月夜图。先是晚云散去，天空像一块透明的琉璃；接着一轮银盘从海底升起，月光照亮千里。月亮干净得能看见嫦娥，连月宫的桂树都能一棵棵数清。露水刚落，秋风不冷，词人在外面坐了很久，看萤火虫飞过、乌鹊南飞，把栏杆都靠暖了，月亮也舍不得落下。下阕从月亮转到人。词人想到远方的心上人，她看着同一个月亮，也一定在想念。夜很长，花影在动，时间在悄悄溜走。明天的月亮也许一样亮，可天会不会阴，谁也说不准；这样的好月要再等一年。最后他只希望人平安健康，有酒有月，长长久久。读到这里，会想起苏轼的“但愿人长久，千里共婵娟”。