Featured📅 6/26/2026👁️ 3 views

這是你期盼的長大嗎 Lyrics | Pinyin | Learn Chinese

Do you ever find yourself looking back, wondering if the adult you became is the person your childhood self envisioned? It’s a question that silently echoes through many hearts, a testament to the bittersweet journey of growth.

Independent Chinese musician 張齊山 (Zhang Qishan), known as ZQS, channels this profound introspection into his latest emotionally resonant song, "這是你期盼的長大嗎" (Is this what you expected when you grew up?). Celebrated for his unique vocal style and deeply reflective themes of youth and nostalgia, ZQS invites us into a shared moment of self-discovery – and an incredible opportunity to connect with Mandarin on a deeper level.

Quick Info

Song Name 這是你期盼的長大嗎 (Is this what you expected when you grew up?)
Artist 張齊山ZQS
Original Singer Original
Release Year 2023
Duration 04:10

Interactive Lyrics

zhè
shì
pàn
de
zhǎng
ma
-
Z
Q
S
Is this the growth you longed for?
zuò
/
chén
/
quán
Lyrics by: Yu Chen / Quan Yaojiu
zuò
quán
yāo
Composed by: Quan Yaojiu
biān
èr
Arranged by: Su Ermo
Guitar: Ma Teng
hùn
yīn
shān
Mixing: Coral
shēng
Harmony Vocals: Qiyecao
fēng
miàn
miè
hài
Cover Art: Miehailing
huà
quán
yāo
Project Planning: Quan Yaojiu
chū
pǐn
xíng
Produced by: Po Ke Xing Dong
yǎn
wàng
jìn
de
tòng
Alleys glimpsed in a single sweep
tīng
guàn
wéi
cháng
de
cōng
cōng
Grown used to the familiar hurried steps
xiàng
kǒu
yíng
lái
sòng
wǎng
de
tóng
The plane trees at the alley's mouth, watching welcomes and farewells
zhào
chū
piàn
xiào
zhèng
nóng
Shading a space where laughter once thrived
zǒu
chū
de
xiǎo
xiàn
chéng
The small county town, inescapable
hái
liú
le
chéng
qiáng
shàng
de
xiǎng
zhōng
Still holds the echoing bell on ancient city walls
shēng
chuán
mǎn
le
zhěng
piàn
tiān
kōng
A single chime, filling the entire sky
chōng
chì
chéng
nián
shào
de
yōu
chóu
Overflowing with youthful sorrow
qiú
lóng
And its confines
shì
bu
shì
wàng
de
yóu
Is that the freedom you craved?
wéi
xiǎng
kào
shuāng
shǒu
jiù
gòu
Believed ideals were within reach of your own two hands
zhí
dào
bèi
xiàn
shí
hěn
tuī
Until reality gave a cruel shove
diē
dào
hún
shēn
shì
shāng
Falling, covered in scars
cái
dǒng
shēng
huó
shì
tóng
huà
Only then knowing life is no fairy tale
hěn
shī
wàng
ba
You're disappointed, aren't you?
rén
de
shì
jiè
kuài
ba
The adult world isn't happy, is it?
ge
ài
xiào
de
le
Where did that smiling self go?
pīn
jìn
quán
zhēng
zhá
Struggling with all your might
zhī
wèi
néng
chéng
wéi
tōng
rén
a
Just to be an ordinary person
hěn
lèi
duì
ma
You're so tired, aren't you?
zhè
shì
pàn
de
zhǎng
ma
Is this the growth you longed for?
jiù
rèn
shí
guāng
fēng
gān
mèng
xiǎng
le
ma
Did you let time wither your dreams?
duī
le
shēn
shāng
With a body scarred all over
zhǐ
shì
xiào
xiào
shuō
huà
Just smiling, saying nothing
hái
huì
xìng
ba
Will happiness still find you?
zǒu
chū
de
xiǎo
xiàn
chéng
The small county town, inescapable
hái
liú
le
chéng
qiáng
shàng
de
xiǎng
zhōng
Still holds the echoing bell on ancient city walls
shēng
chuán
mǎn
le
zhěng
piàn
tiān
kōng
A single chime, filling the entire sky
chōng
chì
chéng
nián
shào
de
yōu
chóu
Overflowing with youthful sorrow
qiú
lóng
And its confines
shì
bu
shì
wàng
de
yóu
Is that the freedom you craved?
wéi
xiǎng
kào
shuāng
shǒu
jiù
gòu
Believed ideals were within reach of your own two hands
zhí
dào
bèi
xiàn
shí
hěn
tuī
Until reality gave a cruel shove
diē
dào
hún
shēn
shì
shāng
Falling, covered in scars
cái
dǒng
shēng
huó
shì
tóng
huà
Only then knowing life is no fairy tale
hěn
shī
wàng
ba
You're disappointed, aren't you?
rén
de
shì
jiè
kuài
ba
The adult world isn't happy, is it?
ge
ài
xiào
de
le
Where did that smiling self go?
pīn
jìn
quán
zhēng
zhá
Struggling with all your might
zhī
wèi
néng
chéng
wéi
tōng
rén
a
Just to be an ordinary person
hěn
lèi
duì
ma
You're so tired, aren't you?
zhè
shì
pàn
de
zhǎng
ma
Is this the growth you longed for?
jiù
rèn
shí
guāng
fēng
gān
mèng
xiǎng
le
ma
Did you let time wither your dreams?
duī
le
shēn
shāng
With a body scarred all over
zhǐ
shì
xiào
xiào
shuō
huà
Just smiling, saying nothing
hái
huì
xìng
ba
Will happiness still find you?
hěn
shī
wàng
ba
You're disappointed, aren't you?
rén
de
shì
jiè
kuài
ba
The adult world isn't happy, is it?
ge
ài
xiào
de
le
Where did that smiling self go?
pīn
jìn
quán
zhēng
zhá
Struggling with all your might
zhī
wèi
néng
chéng
wéi
tōng
rén
a
Just to be an ordinary person
hěn
lèi
duì
ma
You're so tired, aren't you?
zhè
shì
pàn
de
zhǎng
ma
Is this the growth you longed for?
jiù
rèn
shí
guāng
fēng
gān
mèng
xiǎng
le
ma
Did you let time wither your dreams?
duī
le
shēn
shāng
With a body scarred all over
zhǐ
shì
xiào
xiào
shuō
huà
Just smiling, saying nothing
hái
huì
xìng
ba
Will happiness still find you?

The Story Behind the Song

張齊山ZQS's 2023 ballad, "這是你期盼的長大嗎" (Is this what you expected when you grew up?), doesn't merely pose a question; it holds a shimmering, poignant mirror to the soul. This song, echoing with ZQS's signature emotional melody, became an instant cultural touchstone for a generation grappling with the stark chasm between childhood dreams and the often-unyielding canvas of adulthood. It's a tender, collective sigh for the lost innocence and the weighty truth of responsibilities.

Through its heartfelt lyrics, the track unearths a universal ache—the disillusionment and deep introspection that accompany confronting life's complex realities. It’s a soulful lament, wondering if the arduous journey of growth has led to the vibrant future once envisioned, or if it's painted a picture far different. This resonant exploration of faded expectations and persistent dreams makes it more than a song; it's a shared conversation about the bittersweet nature of becoming who we are.

✨ Lyrical Highlights

年少時的願望, 都被我弄丟了吧
niánshào shí de yuànwàng, dōu bèi wǒ nòng diū le ba
The wishes of my youth, I must have lost them all.

This line beautifully encapsulates the song's core theme of lost innocence and forgotten dreams. It uses a gentle, almost regretful tone to acknowledge the painful reality that the aspirations of one's younger self often succumb to the pressures of adulthood. The casual "弄丟了吧" (must have lost them) adds a layer of resigned sadness, implying an involuntary, almost unnoticed forfeiture.

小時候的紙飛機, 飛去了哪裡
xiǎoshíhou de zhǐfēijī, fēi qù le nǎlǐ
Where did the paper airplanes of childhood fly to?

This question uses the potent metaphor of a paper airplane, a quintessential symbol of childhood dreams, freedom, and simplicity. The rhetorical question evokes a profound sense of nostalgia and longing for a past that can never be recaptured. It beautifully highlights the theme of lost innocence and the vast, often disappointing, distance between childhood wonder and adult reality.

Key HSK Vocabulary

Word Pinyin Meaning HSK Action
期盼 qī pàn expect, await HSK 7
就任 jiù rèn take up one's post, take office HSK 7
浑身 hún shēn all over, whole body HSK 7
普通人 pǔ tōng rén average person, man in the street HSK 7
忧愁 yōu chóu sad, worried HSK 7
吉他 jí tā guitar HSK 7
挣扎 zhēng zhá struggle, attempt HSK 7
成年 chéng nián come of age HSK 7
匆匆 cōng cōng hurriedly, in haste HSK 7
全力 quán lì by exerting all one's efforts, full energy or strength HSK 6
双手 shuāng shǒu both hands HSK 5
渴望 kě wàng asprire, for HSK 5
梦想 mèng xiǎng dream, fond dream HSK 4
失望 shī wàng be disappointed HSK 4
只是 zhǐ shì only, just HSK 3
直到 zhí dào till, until HSK 3
天空 tiān kōng the sky, the heavens HSK 3
幸福 xìng fú happiness, well being HSK 3
快乐 kuài lè happy, joyful HSK 2
成为 chéng wéi become, turn into HSK 2

Grammar Notes

📌 V+不+C (Potential Complement)
This structure indicates that an action cannot achieve a certain result or that a certain result cannot be achieved through an action. 'V' is the verb, and 'C' is the result complement. In the lyrics, '走不出' (zǒu bù chū) means 'cannot walk out of'.

我走不出这个迷宫。

Wǒ zǒu bù chū zhège mígōng.

I cannot walk out of this maze.

📌 S + 被 + Agent (optional) + V + O (Passive Voice)
The '被' (bèi) structure is used to form passive sentences, indicating that the subject is the recipient of an action. The agent performing the action can be omitted if it's unknown or unimportant. In the lyrics, '被现实狠推一把' means 'pushed hard by reality'.

他的梦想被时间风干了。

Tā de mèngxiǎng bèi shíjiān fēnggān le.

His dream was dried up by time.

📌 V+尽 (jìn) (Result Complement)
'尽' (jìn) as a result complement indicates that an action has been completed to its utmost extent, meaning 'completely' or 'exhaustively'. In the lyrics, '一眼望尽' means 'seen completely with one glance', and '拼尽全力' means 'struggle with all one's might'.

他用尽了所有的力气。

Tā yòng jìn le suǒyǒu de lìqì.

He used up all his strength.

📌 ...才... (cái for 'only then' / 'not until')
'才' (cái) is often used to indicate that an action or situation occurs later than expected, or only under a certain condition, meaning 'only then' or 'not until'. In the lyrics, '才懂生活不是童话' means 'only then understood life is not a fairy tale'.

只有经历困难,你才懂生活的真谛。

Zhǐyǒu jīnglì kùnnan, nǐ cái dǒng shēnghuó de zhēndì.

Only by experiencing difficulties will you understand the true meaning of life.