Songs & Music · Jackie Chan · Study Guide
英雄本色 — True Colours of a Hero
Yīng xióng běn sè
Why Learn With This Song
英雄本色 draws from the rich vocabulary of the Chinese martial heroes tradition (武侠 wǔxiá), covering the language of moral character, authentic courage, and chivalrous virtue. The song is excellent for learners who want to understand the discourse of 侠义 — the distinctly Chinese concept of heroic righteousness that runs from classical novels through modern cinema and pop culture. Key terms like 担当, 磊落, and 肝胆相照 appear frequently in business leadership discourse, political commentary, and everyday moral discourse.
Key Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pīnyīn | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 英雄 | yīng xióng | hero | 英 = outstanding; 雄 = brave/male. 英雄好汉 = heroes and brave men. Very high-frequency term |
| 本色 | běn sè | true nature, true colours, authentic character | 本 = original/root; 色 = colour/nature. 英雄本色 = the true nature/colours of a hero |
| 侠义 | xiá yì | chivalrous righteousness, knightly virtue | 侠 = knight/chivalrous person (from 武侠 martial hero tradition); 义 = righteousness/duty |
| 担当 | dān dāng | to shoulder responsibility, to take on (a role) | 担 = to carry on a shoulder pole; 当 = to face/be. 有担当 = responsible, willing to face consequences |
| 无惧 | wú jù | fearless, without fear | 无 = without; 惧 = to fear. More literary than 不怕. 无所畏惧 = fearing nothing |
| 磊落 | lěi luò | open and upright, frank and magnanimous | 光明磊落 = open and aboveboard (chengyu). Describes a character with nothing to hide |
| 豪气 | háo qì | heroic spirit, gallantry | 豪 = heroic/great; 气 = spirit/air. 豪气干云 = heroic spirit reaching the clouds (chengyu) |
| 肝胆 | gān dǎn | liver and gallbladder — here: guts, courage, innermost feelings | 肝胆相照 = showing each other one's inner self (total honesty between friends). Classical metaphor |
| 相照 | xiāng zhào | to illuminate each other, to face each other openly | 相 = mutually/each other; 照 = to illuminate/reflect. Part of 肝胆相照 (total candour) |
| 威风 | wēi fēng | impressive, awe-inspiring bearing | 威 = might/authority; 风 = wind/bearing. 威风凛凛 = imposing and awe-inspiring (chengyu) |
| 凛然 | lǐn rán | stern, awe-inspiring, dignified | Often in 正气凛然 = exuding righteousness. Formal/literary term |
| 挺身 | tǐng shēn | to stand up straight; to step forward bravely | 挺 = to straighten/stand erect; 身 = body. 挺身而出 = to step forward bravely (chengyu) |
Annotated Verses (First 2 Verses)
Verse 1
英雄本色不怕风雨
Yīng xióng běn sè bù pà fēng yǔ
The true colours of a hero — unafraid of wind and rain
Grammar note:英雄本色 = the song title used as a topic/subject. 不怕 = not afraid of (不 + 怕 = to fear). 风雨 = wind and rain, here metaphorical for difficulties. The sentence follows the Topic-Comment structure common in Chinese: topic (what we're talking about) + comment (what we say about it).
侠义心肠，担当重任
Xiá yì xīn cháng, dān dāng zhòng rèn
A chivalrous and righteous heart, shouldering heavy responsibility
Grammar note: 侠义心肠 = chivalrous and righteous heart (心肠 = heart/disposition — a more poetic synonym for 心). 担当 = to shoulder/take on. 重任 = heavy responsibility (重 = heavy/important; 任 = responsibility/mission). Two parallel noun phrases in apposition.
Verse 2
肝胆相照才是好兄弟
Gān dǎn xiāng zhào cái shì hǎo xiōng dì
Showing each other our innermost hearts — that's what makes a true brother
Grammar note:肝胆相照 = the chengyu for total candour between friends. 才是 = only then is/that's what truly makes (才 adds the sense of “only then” — a condition is met before the outcome). 好兄弟 = good brothers.
挺身而出不含糊
Tǐng shēn ér chū bù hán hu
Stepping forward bravely, without hesitation
Grammar note:挺身而出 = to step forward bravely (chengyu: 挺身 = straighten one's body; 而 = and then; 出 = to come out/step forward). 不含糊 (bù hán hu) = without vagueness/hesitation — colloquial expression for doing something decisively and well.
Note: Only the first two verses are annotated here in line with our educational fair-use approach.
Cultural Context
英雄本色 (A Better Tomorrow) is also the title of John Woo's landmark 1986 Hong Kong action film — a touchstone of Chinese cinema that redefined the heroic bloodshed (英雄片) genre. Jackie Chan's song of the same name draws on the film's legacy, framing heroism as an internal moral quality (本色 = true nature/true colours) rather than merely physical prowess.
The concept of 本色 is significant in Chinese moral discourse: a person of good 本色 remains true to their virtuous nature regardless of circumstances. This connects to the broader Confucian ideal of moral self-cultivation — that character is revealed through adversity.
Listen to This Song
Search for “英雄本色 成龙” on YouTube.
Search on YouTube →We recommend listening while following along with the annotations above.