不将就 (Can't Bear It)

电影《何以笙箫默》片尾曲 · Bu Jiang Jiu

那时候 我以为爱的是生活
nà shí hòu wǒ yǐ wéi ài de shì shēng huó
Back then, I thought what I loved was life.
也算懂得 什么适合 什么不可
yě suàn dǒng de shén me shì hé shén me bù kě
I also understood what fits and what doesn’t.
最近还是依然 努力著 配合你的性格
zuì jìn hái shì yī rán nǔ lì zhe pèi hé nǐ de xìng gé
Still recently, I’m trying hard to adapt to your personality.
你的追求者 你的坎坷 我开的车
nǐ de zhuī qiú zhě nǐ de kǎn kě wǒ kāi de chē
Your suitors, your setbacks, the car I drive.
算一算 虚度了多少个年头
suàn yī suàn xū dù le duō shǎo gè nián tóu
Counting, how many years have I wasted?
仿佛足够 写一套错爱的春秋
fǎng fú zú gòu xiě yī tào cuò ài de chūn qiū
It seems enough to write a tale of misguided love.
如果以后 你还想为谁 浪费美好时候
rú guǒ yǐ hòu nǐ hái xiǎng wèi shuí làng fèi měi hǎo shí hòu
If in the future, you still want to waste good times on someone.
眼泪只能在我的胸膛 毫无保留
yǎn lèi zhǐ néng zài wǒ de xiōng táng háo wú bǎo liú
Your tears can fall only against my chest, with nothing held back.
互相折磨到白头
hù xiāng zhé mó dào bái tóu
We torment each other until we're old.
悲伤坚决不放手
bēi shāng jiān jué bù fàng shǒu
Sadness resolutely won't let go.
开始纠缠之后
kāi shǐ jiū chán zhī hòu
After we started entangling.
才又被人放大了自由
cái yòu bèi rén fàng dà le zì yóu
Only then was freedom magnified by someone else.
你的暴烈太温柔
nǐ de bào liè tài wēn róu
Your violence is too gentle.
感情又痛又享受
gǎn qíng yòu tòng yòu xiǎng shòu
Love is both painful and enjoyable.
如果我说 不吻你不罢休
rú guǒ wǒ shuō bù wěn nǐ bù bà xiū
If I say I won't stop until I kiss you.
谁能逼我将就
shuí néng bī wǒ jiāng jiù
Who can force me to settle?
你问我 为什么顽固而专一
nǐ wèn wǒ wèi shén me wán gù ér zhuān yī
You ask me why I’m stubborn and loyal.
天下太大 总有人比你更合适
tiān xià tài dà zǒng yǒu rén bǐ nǐ gèng hé shì
The world is too vast; there's always someone more suitable than you.
其实我觉得这样不值 可没选择方式
qí shí wǒ jué de zhè yàng bù zhí kě méi xuǎn zé fāng shì
Actually, I think this isn't worth it, but I have no options.
你一出场 别人都显得不过如此
nǐ yī chū chǎng bié rén dōu xiǎn de bù guò rú cǐ
When you appear, others seem insignificant.
互相折磨到白头
hù xiāng zhé mó dào bái tóu
We torment each other until we're old.
悲伤坚决不放手
bēi shāng jiān jué bù fàng shǒu
Sadness resolutely won't let go.
开始纠缠之后
kāi shǐ jiū chán zhī hòu
After we started entangling.
才又被人放大了自由
cái yòu bèi rén fàng dà le zì yóu
Only then was freedom magnified by someone else.
你的暴烈太温柔
nǐ de bào liè tài wēn róu
Your violence is too gentle.
感情又痛又享受
gǎn qíng yòu tòng yòu xiǎng shòu
Love is both painful and enjoyable.
如果我说 不吻你不罢休
rú guǒ wǒ shuō bù wěn nǐ bù bà xiū
If I say I won't stop until I kiss you.
谁能逼我将就
shuí néng bī wǒ jiāng jiù
Who can force me to settle?
不吻你不罢休 谁能逼我将就
bù wěn nǐ bù bà xiū shuí néng bī wǒ jiāng jiù
I won’t stop until I kiss you; who can force me to settle?
互相折磨到白头
hù xiāng zhé mó dào bái tóu
We torment each other until we're old.
悲伤坚决不放手
bēi shāng jiān jué bù fàng shǒu
Sadness resolutely won't let go.
开始纠缠之后
kāi shǐ jiū chán zhī hòu
After we started entangling.
才又被人放大了自由
cái yòu bèi rén fàng dà le zì yóu
Only then was freedom magnified by someone else.
你的暴烈太温柔
nǐ de bào liè tài wēn róu
Your violence is too gentle.
感情又痛又享受
gǎn qíng yòu tòng yòu xiǎng shòu
Love is both painful and enjoyable.
如果我说 不吻你不罢休
rú guǒ wǒ shuō bù wěn nǐ bù bà xiū
If I say I won't stop until I kiss you.
谁能逼我将就
shuí néng bī wǒ jiāng jiù
Who can force me to settle?
他们不过将就
tā men bù guò jiāng jiù
They are just settling.

Mandarin learning guide

Learn with 不将就

The lyric moves from reflection to a refusal to settle. Practice suitability with 适合 and 什么不可, compromise with 将就, and paired feelings with 又…又….

contrast and comparison; relationship vocabulary; negation and refusal

What to listen for

The lyrics trace a speaker looking back on a relationship, weighing what fits and what does not, then ending on a clear refusal to “将就” and accept less than what feels right. The language is useful for talking about suitability, compromise, and strong personal stance, with repeated structures that make the song good practice for everyday Mandarin.

  • Understand how 适合, 什么不可, and 将就 express suitability and refusal.
  • Recognize repeated contrast patterns like 又…又… and 不…不…
  • Practice reading lyric Chinese that moves from reflection to a decisive ending

How the song moves

Opening reflection

The first lines look back on a past understanding of love and what is suitable or not suitable.

Relationship detail and cost

The middle lines list specific relationship details, wasted years, and the feeling of prolonged entanglement.

Refrain and refusal

The ending repeats the tension of pain, attachment, and a direct refusal to settle.

Translation choices

那时候 我以为爱的是生活

nà shí hòu wǒ yǐ wéi ài de shì shēng huó

Natural English
Back then, I thought what I loved was life.
Why
以为 introduces the past belief, and 爱的是生活 identifies life as the thing the speaker thought they loved.

也算懂得 什么适合 什么不可

yě suàn dǒng de shén me shì hé shén me bù kě

Natural English
I also had a sense of what fits and what doesn’t.
Why
什么适合 什么不可 is about suitability in general; this rendering stays natural and preserves the contrast.

他们不过将就

tā men bù guò jiāng jiù

Natural English
They’re just settling.
Why
不过将就 is brief and pointed; “just settling” matches the dismissive tone of 不过.

Useful Mandarin from the song

适合shì héto suit; to be suitable

A very common verb/adjective idea for matching people, plans, clothes, or situations.

这份工作很适合你。zhè fèn gōng zuò hěn shì hé nǐ。This job suits you well.
将就jiāng jiùto settle for; to make do

Used when someone accepts something less ideal instead of what they really want.

别将就,慢慢选。bié jiāng jiù, màn màn xuǎn。Don’t settle; choose slowly.
又痛又享受yòu tòng yòu xiǎng shòuboth painful and enjoyable

This pattern links two qualities at the same time, here pain and enjoyment.

这道菜又辣又香。zhè dào cài yòu là yòu xiāng。This dish is both spicy and fragrant.
顽固wán gùstubborn; obstinate

Used for a person or attitude that does not easily change.

他很顽固,不容易改主意。tā hěn wán gù, bù róng yì gǎi zhǔ yì。He’s stubborn and doesn’t easily change his mind.

Listen closely

  • Listen for the repeated shift from thinking about the past to making a firm present-tense refusal.
  • Notice how 将就 returns near the end; it is the key word for the speaker’s stance.
  • Track the contrast between soft, reflective language like 那时候 and sharper judgment words like 不值, 顽固, and 逼.

Check your understanding

  1. Which word in the lyrics means “to settle for” or “make do with less than ideal”?

    Show answer

    将就

  2. In 感情又痛又享受, which two feelings does 又…又… connect?

    Show answer

    Pain and enjoyment.

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