Did you know AI is revolutionizing language learning through the power of music? You can boost your Chinese skills by making your own Chinese songs.
Maybe you’ve heard of suno.com, an AI-powered music creation tool that allows you to generate all different kinds of music in a matter of seconds without playing a single instrument or even writing lyrics. It’s so ridiculously easy that I caught myself thinking it should be banned. After all, I love music and the musicians that practice for years and years to master their instruments.
On the other hand, entering silly prompts and listening to the results is highly entertaining – a bit like AI-generating pictures for the first time, but much cooler – and while exploring the musical possibilities I even completely forgot about myself, until I ran out of credits on all my Suno-accounts of course.
Although I had lots of fun generating (I dislike the word ‘creating’ in the context of AI) unique Chinese song material, to be honest, I’m not sure they are the most suitable for Chinese learning in terms of difficulty, language speed and so on, but I tried and uploaded them to Soundcloud and (in one case) to YouTube, since suno.com also auto-generates videos that contain the lyrics.
Man only plays when he is in the fullest sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays – Friedrich Schiller
I wasn’t completely serious when I wrote “Producing Chinese hit songs to boost your Mandarin skills”, but then again, why not? Playing is being human. We can’t be serious and effective all the time. Fooling around with Suno while focusing on Chinese output can help achieving the following things:
Vocabulary expansion (write your own songs and study the lyrics)
Pronunciation and listening practice (多听，多说, you know the drill)
Grammar and sentence structure (Get a feeling for the most common sentence structures, although there’s some AI language creativity involved as well here)
Cultural immersion (write and learn about Chinese topics)
Custom songs for personalized learning (express your own self through songs)
Reinforcement through repetition (Sing along with that chorus)
Among my favorite tunes are two blues songs named 低谷中的面条 (Noodles in the Lowdown Alley) and 我就喜欢开封 that keeps revolving around the same two lines. Enjoy!
1. 吃饭了吗 (Grammar and sentence structure)
你吃饭了吗？ (oo-yeah!) 你吃饭了吗？
世界很大，但我们都爱它，
跳个舞，嗨起来，别害怕，
美食和音乐，要放到最大！
[Verse 2]
你吃饭了吗？(哟！) 快来这边，
今天就要放飞，放飞到天边，
街边的小吃，夜市的香甜，
满满的能量，一起摇摆全店！
[Chorus]
嘿嘿嘿，你吃饭了吗？
嘿嘿嘿，大家回答吧！
嘿嘿嘿，快说吃饱了，
嘿嘿嘿，幸福爆棚啦！
[Verse 3]
明天去哪？(哟哟！)尽情狂欢，
音乐还有朋友，疯狂的新鲜感，
吃货的天堂，美味不上限，
爱了这个节奏，舞步配饭前！
[Bridge]
跳起舞来，动次打次 (嘿！嘿！)
香气四溢，馋了鼻子 (哟！哟！)
朋友们在这，齐心协力 (哈！哈！)
享受生活，舞出自己 (woo!)
[Chorus]
嘿嘿嘿，你吃饭了吗？
嘿嘿嘿，大家回答吧！
嘿嘿嘿，快说吃饱了，
嘿嘿嘿，幸福爆棚啦！
2. 你为啥还没有结婚？(Pronunciation and listening practice)
[Verse]
黑夜里跋涉着孤独
梦碎了 变成云雾
你为啥还没有结婚
心上有多少伤痕
[Verse 2]
时间过 孤单很残酷
眼泪也流不出路
你为啥还没有结婚
是不是遗失了灵魂
[Chorus]
你为啥还没有结婚
是谁让你如此疑问
迷茫的你是否还等
那个早该缠绵的吻
[Bridge]
风吹过 岁月如刀割
流星坠落 梦景破
你为啥还没有结婚
心中是不是有回声
[Verse 3]
往事如昨却难追寻
徘徊在命运边缘
你为啥还没有结婚
空荡脑海回旋
[Chorus]
你为啥还没有结婚
是谁让你如此疑问
迷茫的你是否还等
那个早该缠绵的吻
3. 我要点一个套餐 (Vocabulary expansion)
[Verse]
走進麦当劳
香气四溢飘
美味在眼前
心情变得妙
[Verse 2]
菜单满是选
汉堡和薯条
不知该怎么选
美食让我笑
[Chorus]
我要点一个套餐
配上饮料和沙田
美味中的小欢喜
麦当劳的奇迹
[Verse 3]
香甜冰淇淋
一口满心情
生活小确幸
快乐在延续
[Verse 4]
细细品味中
幸福滋味浓
坐在柔软椅
感觉多轻松
[Bridge]
朋友一起来
共享这时光
麦当劳之夜
歌声飞扬
4. 低谷中的面条 (Noodles in the Lowdown Alley) (Custom songs for personalized learning)
[Verse]
午夜的街角，老板在等待，
我没钱支付，心里很无奈。
面条热滚滚，香味扑鼻来，
却只能看着，饥饿在发呆。
[Verse 2]
老板叹口气，把面放桌台，
说你这孩子，就别再徘徊。
他的人情味，如此的慷慨，
这碗面条啊，可真是精彩。
[Chorus]
面条在碗里，眼泪在心间，
这样的友情，经不起考验。
低谷中的面条，简单也甘甜，
这碗面条啊，传递着温暖。
[Verse 3]
低头吃着面，心里很感慨，
生活的酸甜，都融在一块。
虽然没钞票，但我有交情，
这碗面条啊，感动在心底。
[Verse 4]
昏黄的灯光，把影子拉长，
孤单的心情，有点不一样。
一碗热面条，把寒冷驱赶，
温暖的笑容，肚子也填满。
[Chorus]
面条在碗里，眼泪在心间，
这样的友情，经不起考验。
低谷中的面条，简单也甘甜，
这碗面条啊，传递着温暖。
5. 红包飞来像雨点 (Cultural immersion)
[Verse]
她是村里的普通女孩，
为买个房子，策划婚礼如赛，
邀请众多亲戚朋友，
红包如雪飘进她的口袋。
[Verse 2]
教堂里响起铜管乐队，
伴着乡村班卓，热闹的歌声全场飞，
她穿着二手婚纱，
心里盘算未来的新家。
[Chorus]
红包飞来像雨点，
一张一张汇聚的希望满天，
她梦想着新家的一天，
努力筹备，只为不再颠沛流浪。
[Bridge]
宴席上，大家欢笑与畅饮，
满桌佳肴成为她的笑影，
虽然简单，心意却深，
为梦想拼搏，无无需肤浅。
[Verse 3]
婚礼结束，她数着红包，
幸福的泪水滴落在晚霞前。
希望的房子不再遥不可及，
全村人送上了祝福连连。
[Chorus]
红包飞来像雨点，
一张一张汇聚的希望满天，
她梦想着新家的一天，
努力筹备，只为不再颠沛流浪。
6. 辣死我了 (speaking about Chinese experiences)
[Verse]
黑暗的夜晚 火锅在沸腾
舌头在燃烧 汗水如雨淋
红油不停涌 心跳加速快
变态的辣味 让我无法逃
[Verse 2]
朋友都在笑 说我太脆弱
他们无法懂 这是一种折磨
辣味如鬼魂 缠绕我的舌
每一口都像 地狱的火
[Chorus]
辣死我了 辣死我了
每一口都像 在受刑罚
辣死我了 辣死我了
我在地狱 鬼火烧煎
[Bridge]
我要疯狂叫 眼泪在飙
疼痛的享受 是我的欢笑
火锅像恶灵 把我锁牢
无法停止 惊悚的祷告
[Verse 3]
红辣椒在跳 它们在嘲笑
我却无法停 手在颤抖
这一场噩梦 无法逃脱
但我依旧 爱上这痛苦
[Chorus]
辣死我了 辣死我了
每一口都像 在受刑罚
辣死我了 辣死我了
我在地狱 鬼火烧煎
7. 我就喜欢开封 (Reinforcement through repetition)
我就喜欢开封, 我讨厌上海
