Notes

明月幾時有，
Míng yuè jǐshí yǒu,
[bright] [moon] [how much] [time] [have]
When did the bright moon first appear?

把酒問青天。
Bǎjiǔ wèn qīngtiān.
[hold] [wine] [ask] [blue] [sky]
One raises a cup and asks the blue sky.

不知天上宮闕，
Bù zhī tiān shàng gōngjué,
[not] [know] [Heavens] [on] [palace][]
One does not know, in the celestial palaces,

今夕是何年。
Jīnxī shì hé nián.
[today] [evening] [is] [what] [year]
what year it is this evening.

我欲乘風歸去，
Wǒ yù chéng fēng guī qù,
[I] [want] [ride] [wind] [return] [go]
I wish to ride the wind and return there,

又恐瓊樓玉宇，
Yòu kǒng qióng lóu yùyǔ,
[again] [fear] [jade] [building] [jade] [room]
yet fear the jade towers;

高處不勝寒。
Gāo chù bùshèng hán.
[high] [dwell] [not bear] [cold]
in a high dwelling one cannot bear the cold.

起舞弄清影，
Qǐ wǔ nòng qīng yǐng,
[start] [dance] [play with] [clear] [shadow]
Starting to dance with one's clear shadow -

何似在人間。
Hé sì zài rén jiān.
[what] [resemble] [in] [human world][]
what else resembles the mortal world?

轉朱閣，
Zhuǎn zhū gé,
[revolve] [red] [pavilion]
Revolving around the red pavilion,

低綺戶，
Dī qǐ hù,
[low] [silk-work] [door]
lowering to a silk-work door,

照無眠。
Zhào wú mián.
[shine] [not have] [sleep]
it shines upon the sleepless.

不應有恨，
Bù yīng yǒu hèn,
[not] [should] [have] [hate]
It should not have resentment;

何事長向別時圓？
Hé shì cháng xiàng bié shí yuán?
[why] [thing] [always] [before] [separate] [time] [full]
why is it always full at times of separation?

人有悲歡離合，
Rén yǒu bēihuānlíhé,
[people] [have] [sorrow] [joy] [parting] [reunion]
People have sorrows, joys, parting and reunions,

月有陰晴圓缺，
Yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán quē,
[moon] [has] [dark] [clear] [round] [scarce]
the moon is dark, bright, waxes or wanes;

此事古難全。
Cǐ shì gǔ nán quán.
[this] [issue] [ancient] [difficult] [entire]
these problems have have been this way since ancient times.

但願人長久，
Dàn yuàn rén chángjiǔ,
[yet] [hope] [person] [long] [long time]
Yet one hopes for longevity;

千里共嬋娟。
Qiān lǐ gòng chánjuān.
[thousand] [miles] [together] [moon] [beauty]
a thousand miles ap