Chinese Children’s Song: “捕鱼歌”“Buyu Ge” (The Fisherman’s  Song)

By Ling-Ling Lisa Shih
From Ling-LingChinese.com

“捕鱼歌”“Bu Yu Ge” (Fishing Song) is a popular classical aboriginal Taiwanese song. This song is often played while people do the Zhugan Dance “竹竿舞” (Chinese bamboo Dance).   We will try to perform the dance in the second video because it’s easier and we can also involve the audience to join the dance. We can learn the song and dance easily.

 

捕鱼歌 – Fishing song with lyrics, pinyin, English translation

捕鱼歌 儿童歌曲

捕鱼歌 clip

Bu Yu Ge with Lyrics and a Drawing

[In Simplified Chinese Characters]e

歌名：“捕鱼歌”

白浪滔滔我不怕！

撑起舵儿往前划！

撒网下水到渔家啊！

捕条大鱼笑哈哈！

嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！
嗨哟一哟一哟哼嗨哟！

[In Traditional Chinese Characters]

捕魚歌

白浪滔滔我不怕
掌穩舵兒往前划
撒網下水到魚家
捕條大魚笑哈哈

嗨唷一唷一唷恩嗨唷
嗨唷一唷一唷恩嗨唷
嗨唷一唷一唷恩嗨唷
嗨唷一唷一唷恩嗨唷

[In English Translation]

The Fisherman’s  Song
White waves are crashing, but I am not afraid,
Holding the rudder steadily, I row straight ahead
Cast the net into the water to the fishes’ lair
(I) Caught a big fish, ha ha ha! Hai Yo Yi Yo Yi Yo En Hai Yo! (x4)

Musical Notes for Bu Yu Ge

ID	Chinese	Trad.	Pinyin	English Definition

1	捕鱼	捕魚	bǔ yú	to catch fish; to fish
2	歌		gē	song; Classifiers: 支 ; to sing; variant of 歌
3	白浪		bái làng	white waves
4	滔滔		tāo tāo	torrential
5	我		wǒ	I; me; my
6	不怕		bù pà	not afraid
7	撑	撐	chēng	to support; to prop up; to push or move with a pole
8	起		qǐ	to rise; to raise; to get up; to set out; to start; to appear; to launch; to initiate (action); verb suffix, to start; (before place or time) starting from; classifier for occurrences or unpredictable events: case, instance; classifier for groups: batch, group
9	舵		duò	helm; rudder
10	儿	兒	ér	retroflex final
11	往前		wǎngqián	to move forwards
12	划	劃	huá	to row; to paddle
13	撒网	撒網	sāwǎng	to throw a net
14	下水		xià shuǐ	to go into the water; to put into water; to launch (a ship);
15	到		dào	to (a place); up to; to go; to arrive
16	渔	漁	yú	fisherman; to fish
17	家	傢	jiā	home; family;  Classifiers: 个
18	啊		ā	interjection of surprise; Ah!; Oh!
19	捕		bǔ	to catch; to seize; to capture
20	条	條	tiáo	strip; item; article; clause (of law or treaty); classifier for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc)
21	大		dà	big
22	鱼	魚	yú	fish; Classifiers: 条
23	笑哈哈		xiào hāhā	to laugh heartily
24	嗨		hāi	oh alas; hey!; hi!
25	哟	喲	yō	Oh! (interjection indicating slight surprise)
26	一		yī	one; 1; single
27	哼		hēng	to groan; to snort; to hum; to croon; humph!

Downloadable documents and Worksheets for Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌：

• Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌_Character worksheets
• Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌_Flashcards
• Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌_Lyrics with Pinyin and Chinese Characters
• Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌_Vocabulary List
• Buyu Ge 捕鱼歌_worksheet for Lyrics