Mouse Loves Rice (老鼠爱大米) by Yang Chengang (杨臣刚). This song is another favourite among Chinese learners. It’s also been reproduced across Asia in a number of different languages, including English (it really doesn’t work in English!)
The music and the lyrics are sickly sweet, so it’s not exactly going to be a song you’re going to listen to just for pleasure, but the lyrics actually introduce a number of important grammar patterns in Chinese in a simple way, so you’ll learn a lot from this one (plus you might become more of a sweet talker!)
I’ve always found the metaphor of loving somebody like mice love rice pretty strange, but I guess that’s part of what makes this song very unique!
Here are the lyrics in Pinyin, simplified characters and the English translation:
wǒ tīngjiàn nǐde shēngyīn
我 听见 你的 声音
I hear your voice
yǒu zhǒng tèbiéde gǎnjué
有 种 特别的 感觉
And I feel something special
ràng wǒ búduàn xiǎng
让 我 不断 想
That makes me keep on thinking
不 敢 再 忘记 你
Bù gǎn zài wàngjì nǐ
That I can’t bear to forget you again.
wǒ jìdé yǒu yí ge rén
我 记得 有 一个 人
I remember there is somebody
yǒngyuǎn liú zài wǒ xīn zhōng
永远 留 在 我 心中
Who will stay in my heart forever
nǎpà zhǐ nénggòu zhèyàng de xiǎng nǐ
哪怕 只 能够 这样的 想 你
Even if I can only miss you like this
rúguǒ zhēnde yǒu yì tiān àiqíng lǐxiǎng huì shíxiàn
如果 真的 有 一 天 爱情 理想 会 实现
If one day, my dream of love will really come true
wǒ huì jiābèi nǔlì
我 会 加倍 努力
I will try even harder
hǎohǎo duì nǐ yǒngyuǎn bù gǎibiàn
好好 对 你 永远 不 改变
To be good to you and never change
bùguǎn lù yǒu duōme yuǎn
不管 路 有 多么 远
No matter how far this road takes me
yídìng huì ràng tā shíxiàn
一定 会 让 它 实现
It will definitely come true
wǒ huì qīngqing zài nǐ ěr biān duì nǐ shuō
我 会 轻轻 在 你 耳 边 对 你 说
Softly, by your ear, I will say to you
对 你 说
duì nǐ shuō
Say to you
wǒ ài nǐ, àizhe nǐ
我 爱 你, 爱着 你
I love you, loving you
jiù xiàng lǎoshǔ ài dàmǐ
就 像 老鼠 爱 大米
Just like a mouse loves rice
bùguǎn yǒu duōshǎo fēngyǔ
不管 有 多少 风雨
However many difficulties there are
wǒ dōuhuì yīrán péizhe nǐ
我 都会 依然 陪着 你
I will still stay by your side
wǒ xiǎng nǐ, xiǎngzhe nǐ
我 想 你, 想着 你
I miss you, missing you
bùguǎn yǒu duōmede kǔ
不管 有 多么的 苦
No matter how hard things are
zhǐyào néng ràng nǐ kāixīn
只要 能 让 你 开心
As long as I can make you happy
wǒ shénme dōu yuànyì
我 什麽 都 愿意
I’m willing to do anything
zhèyàng ài nǐ
这样 爱 你
This is how much I love you