Key HSK Vocabulary
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 净化 | jìng huà | to purify | HSK 7 | |
| 形形色色 | xíng xíng sè sè | of every hue, all manner of man or thing | HSK 7 | |
| 亮丽 | liàng lì | bright and pretty, beautiful | HSK 7 | |
| 懂事 | dǒng shì | sensible, intelligent | HSK 7 | |
| 傲慢 | ào màn | haughty, arrogant | HSK 7 | |
| 叛逆 | pàn nì | rebel, revolt against | HSK 7 | |
| 夜晚 | yè wǎn | night, evening | HSK 7 | |
| 自卑 | zì bēi | abject, feeling inferior | HSK 7 | |
| 激励 | jī lì | urge, impel | HSK 7 | |
| 摧毁 | cuī huǐ | destroy, smash | HSK 7 | |
| 尽头 | jìn tóu | end | HSK 7 | |
| 身心 | shēn xīn | body and mind | HSK 7 | |
| 体系 | tǐ xì | setup, system | HSK 7 | |
| 心灵 | xīn líng | soul, heart | HSK 6 | |
| 当作 | dàng zuò | to treat as, to regard as | HSK 6 | |
| 如此 | rú cǐ | so, such | HSK 5 | |
| 逻辑 | luó ji | logic, objective law | HSK 5 | |
| 失败 | shī bài | lose, be defeated | HSK 4 | |
| 兄弟 | xiōng dì | younger brother , younger brother | HSK 4 | |
| 做梦 | zuò mèng | dream, have a dream | HSK 4 |
Grammar Notes
对我来说，学习中文非常重要。
duì wǒ lái shuō, xué xí zhōng wén fēi cháng zhòng yào.
As far as I'm concerned, learning Chinese is very important.
我的蛋糕被妹妹吃了。
wǒ de dàn gāo bèi mèi mei chī le.
My cake was eaten by my younger sister.
如果你有时间，我们明天就去爬山。
rú guǒ nǐ yǒu shí jiān, wǒ men míng tiān jiù qù pá shān.
If you have time, we will go mountain climbing tomorrow.
汉语语法没有那么难。
hàn yǔ yǔ fǎ méi yǒu nà me nán.
Chinese grammar is not that difficult.
Have you ever confessed your wildest ambition, only to be met with a skeptical smirk and told you’re chasing a fantasy? In Chinese, there’s a biting idiom for this exact brand of doubt: chī rén shuō mèng (癡人說夢)—literally, "a fool babbling about his dreams." But for Taiwanese hip-hop powerhouse Nine One One (玖壹壹), being called fools was simply the fuel they needed to spark a revolution. Formed in 2009, the trio—consisting of members Ken G, Onion, and Spring—pioneered a raw, "local-style" hip-hop that blended Mandarin, Taiwanese Hokkien, and addictive dance-pop beats, transforming them from underground internet sensations into one of Taiwan’s most commercially successful pop groups that speaks directly to the soul of working-class youth.
Their defiant track "癡人說夢" (Empty Dreams) is a masterclass in turning skepticism into gold, making it the perfect, high-energy gateway to learning authentic, emotionally charged Chinese. By breaking down these grit-infused lyrics, you will move past dry textbook dialogues and unlock real-world Taiwanese slang, poetic metaphors, and the fierce, local spirit that defines modern Mandopop.
Quick Info
| Song Name | 癡人說夢 (Empty Dreams) |
| Artist | 玖壹壹 (Nine One One) |
| Original Singer | Original |
| Release Year | 2021 |
| Duration | 03:40 |
The Story Behind the Song
In the lexicon of Chinese idioms, "癡人說夢" is a weapon of conformity—a mocking dismissal of those who dream beyond their station. Yet, Taiwanese trio Nine One One reclaims this insult as a badge of honor. Their raw, defiant anthem transforms societal cynicism into fuel, capturing the suffocating weight of self-doubt and the sting of ridicule. It stands as a sonic battle cry for the underdogs, urging them to cling to their wildest ambitions when the world demands surrender.
This fierce resilience is the very blueprint of Nine One One’s survival. Rising from the gritty margins of independent grassroots artistry to the dazzling heights of Mandopop superstardom, the trio lived every line of this struggle. By weaving their own journey into these pulsating beats, they offer more than just hope—they offer proof that today's "idiot's daydream" is tomorrow's reality.
✨ Lyrical Highlights
就算我是那一個癡人 我也要說著我的夢
jiùsuàn wǒ shì nà yīgè chīrén, wǒ yě yào shuōzhe wǒ de mèng
Even if I am that fool, I will still speak of my dream.This line reclaims the derogatory idiom "癡人說夢" (a fool's wild talk) and transforms it into a badge of defiant pride. It beautifully captures the core theme of the song: the stubborn, heroic refusal to abandon one's aspirations despite societal skepticism. By embracing the identity of the "fool," the artist highlights the purity of a dreamer who values passion over pragmatic conformity.
把眼淚當作是汗水在流
bǎ yǎnlèi dāngzuò shì hànshuǐ zài liú
Treating tears as if they were sweat pouring down.This metaphor brilliantly juxtaposes the vulnerability of sorrow with the active grit of hard labor, showing how pain is channeled into productive effort. It encapsulates the theme of resilience by redefining suffering not as a sign of defeat, but as the very fuel that drives progress. The poetic transformation of tears into sweat vividly illustrates the grit and unspoken sacrifices required to chase one's destiny.