Song Lyrics • Eason Chan • Intermediate
富士山下
Fùshì shān xià
Under Mount Fuji
Why Learn With This Song
Written by Hong Kong's greatest lyricist Lin Xi, 富士山下 is a showcase of inventive Mandarin. Lin Xi coins the phrase 拦路雨 (rain that blocks the path) — a metaphor that native speakers immediately understand even though it doesn't appear in any dictionary. This is advanced Mandarin creativity: understanding how the language builds meaning through compound logic. The song also models 偏 (deliberately/stubbornly) and 放手 (to let go) — two high-utility emotional vocabulary items used constantly in everyday speech.
Key Vocabulary
| 汉字 Chinese | 拼音 Pīnyīn | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 富士山 | Fùshì shān | Mount Fuji | Japan's iconic volcano. 富 = prosperity; 士 = scholar/samurai; 山 = mountain. The Japanese name is 富士山 (Fujisan) |
| 拦路雨 | lán lù yǔ | rain that blocks the path | 拦 = to block/intercept; 路 = road/path; 雨 = rain. A poetic compound invented by lyricist Lin Xi — not a standard dictionary term |
| 偏打我 | piān dǎ wǒ | insists on hitting me; falls on me alone | 偏 = deliberately/stubbornly. 偏要 = insist on doing (contrary to expectation). 打 = to hit/beat |
| 放手 | fàngshǒu | to let go; to release | 放 = to release; 手 = hand. 放手 = let go (of a relationship, an idea). Very common in breakup contexts |
| 伞 | sǎn | umbrella; parasol | A key image in the song — the umbrella as metaphor for protection and relationship. 打伞 = to hold/open an umbrella |
| 将 | jiāng | will (future marker); about to | Literary future marker, more formal than 要 (yào). Common in written Chinese, poetry, and formal speech |
| 结 | jié | to tie/knot; to form a bond | 结 = to tie/knot. Used metaphorically for forging a bond or attachment. 结婚 = to marry (knot marriage). 结合 = to combine/join |
| 分开 | fēnkāi | to separate; to part ways | 分 = to divide/separate; 开 = away/open. 分开 is used for physical and emotional separation. Antonym: 在一起 (together) |
| 苦涩 | kǔsè | bitter; acrid; bittersweet | 苦 = bitter (as in 苦味, bitter taste; or 苦难, suffering). 涩 = astringent/harsh. Together: the bitterness of difficult emotions |
| 忘记 | wàngjì | to forget | 忘 = to forget; 记 = to remember. 忘记 = forget (a person, a fact). 记得 = to remember. These two form an antonym pair |
| 泪光 | lèiguāng | glimmer of tears; teary gleam | 泪 = tears; 光 = light/gleam. A poetic compound — not everyday speech but commonly used in lyrical contexts |
| 枯萎 | kūwěi | to wither; to fade | 枯 = dry/withered; 萎 = to droop/wither. Used for plants and metaphorically for emotions, hope, and relationships |
Annotated Verses (First 2 Verses Only)
Full lyrics available on licensed platforms. These verses are reproduced for educational annotation only.
Verse 1
拦路雨偏打我
Lán lù yǔ piān dǎ wǒ
The rain that blocks the path insists on hitting me
拦路雨 = Lin Xi's invented compound (rain + blocking + path). 偏 = stubbornly/deliberately (implying 'just my luck'). 打 = to hit.
遮不住的尴尬
Zhē bú zhù de gāngà
An embarrassment I cannot hide
遮 = to cover/hide. 不住 = cannot succeed (negative potential complement). 尴尬 = awkward/embarrassed. 遮不住 = unable to cover up.
想起你
Xiǎng qǐ nǐ
I think of you
想起 = to recall/think of (起 is a resultative complement: the thought 'comes up'). Contrast with 想你 = to miss you.
Verse 2
伞打湿了头发
Sǎn dǎ shī le tóufa
The umbrella left my hair wet
打湿 = to make wet (resultative compound). 了 marks the completed result. 头发 = hair.
爱你的原因
Ài nǐ de yuányīn
The reason I love you
原因 = reason/cause (formal). 爱你的 modifies 原因 as a relative clause: 'the reason that is [about] loving you'.
请给我放手
Qǐng gěi wǒ fàngshǒu
Please let go for me / Please release me
请 = please (polite request). 给我 = for me/to me. 放手 = to let go. The gěi wǒ intensifies the plea — 'do this for my sake'.
Cultural Context
富士山下 was released on Eason Chan's 2005 Mandarin album and was written by Lin Xi (林夕) — Hong Kong's most celebrated lyricist, who also wrote for Faye Wong, Jacky Cheung, and Andy Lau. The use of Mount Fuji (a Japanese landmark) as the setting for a Mandarin breakup song was a deliberate, cosmopolitan choice — reflecting the pan-Asian cultural world that Hong Kong pop inhabits.
Lin Xi's approach to Mandarin lyrics is to find concrete images (rain, an umbrella, wet hair) and use them to carry abstract emotions. This technique — 以物喻情 (using objects to speak of feelings) — has roots in classical Chinese poetry. Understanding this song teaches you not just vocabulary but a way of thinking in Chinese.
Listen to This Song
Follow the annotated verses while listening to the original recording.
Listen on YouTube →