敢问路在何方 (“Where is the Road?”) is the iconic theme song from the 1986 Journey to the West TV series. I added a vocabulary list, English translations with pinyin, key phrases and interpretation.
Where is the Road? (1986) – Chinese lyrics
你挑着担，我牵着马；
迎来日出送走晚霞
踏平坎坷成大道，
斗罢艰险又出发，又出发
啦啦——啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦，
一番番春秋冬夏，
一场场酸甜苦辣；
敢问路在何方？
路在脚下
你挑着担，我牵着马；
翻山涉水两肩霜花
风云雷电任叱咤，
一路豪歌向天涯，向天涯
啦啦——啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦，
一番番春秋冬夏，
一场场酸甜苦辣；
敢问路在何方？
路在脚下
敢问路在何方？
路在脚下
Chinese lyrics + English translations and pinyin
Verse 1
你挑着担，我牵着马；
Nǐ tiāo zhe dàn, wǒ qiān zhe mǎ;
You carry the load, I lead the horse;
迎来日出送走晚霞
Yíng lái rì chū sòng zǒu wǎn xiá
Welcoming the sunrise, sending off the sunset glow.
踏平坎坷成大道，
Tà píng kǎn kě chéng dà dào,
Flattening the bumps to form a great road,
斗罢艰险又出发，又出发
Dòu bà jiān xiǎn yòu chū fā, yòu chū fā
After overcoming dangers, we set out again, set out again.
啦啦——啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦，
Lā lā —— lā lā lā lā lā lā lā lā,
(La la— la la la la la la la la,)
Chorus
一番番春秋冬夏，
Yī fān fān chūn qiū dōng xià,
Season after season, through spring, autumn, winter, and summer;
一场场酸甜苦辣；
Yī chǎng chǎng suān tián kǔ là;
Experience after experience, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy (ups and downs of life);
敢问路在何方？
Gǎn wèn lù zài hé fāng?
Dare to ask, where is the road?
路在脚下
Lù zài jiǎo xià
The road is beneath your feet.
Verse 2
你挑着担，我牵着马；
Nǐ tiāo zhe dàn, wǒ qiān zhe mǎ;
You carry the load, I lead the horse;
翻山涉水两肩霜花
Fān shān shè shuǐ liǎng jiān shuāng huā
Crossing mountains and wading through rivers, frost flowers on both shoulders.
风云雷电任叱咤，
Fēng yún léi diàn rèn chì zhà,
Facing winds, clouds, thunder, and lightning without fear,
一路豪歌向天涯，向天涯
Yí lù háo gē xiàng tiān yá, xiàng tiān yá
Singing heroic songs all the way to the ends of the earth, to the ends of the earth.
啦啦——啦啦啦啦啦啦啦啦，
Lā lā —— lā lā lā lā lā lā lā lā,
(La la— la la la la la la la la,)
Chorus (Repeat)
一番番春秋冬夏，
Yī fān fān chūn qiū dōng xià,
Season after season, through spring, autumn, winter, and summer;
一场场酸甜苦辣；
Yī chǎng chǎng suān tián kǔ là;
Experience after experience, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy (ups and downs of life);
敢问路在何方？
Gǎn wèn lù zài hé fāng?
Dare to ask, where is the road?
路在脚下
Lù zài jiǎo xià
The road is beneath your feet.
敢问路在何方？
Gǎn wèn lù zài hé fāng?
Dare to ask, where is the road?
路在脚下
Lù zài jiǎo xià
The road is beneath your feet.
Vocabulary list for 敢问路在何方
| Word/Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 挑 | tiāo | To carry on a shoulder pole |
| 担 | dàn | Load, burden |
| 牵 | qiān | To lead (by hand, rope, etc.) |
| 马 | mǎ | Horse |
| 迎 | yíng | To welcome |
| 日出 | rì chū | Sunrise |
| 送 | sòng | To send off, to see off |
| 晚霞 | wǎn xiá | Evening glow, sunset clouds |
| 踏 | tà | To step on, to tread |
| 坎坷 | kǎn kě | Bumpy, full of hardships |
| 大道 | dà dào | Main road, broad way |
| 斗 | dòu | To fight, to struggle |
| 艰险 | jiān xiǎn | Difficulties and dangers |
| 出发 | chū fā | To set out, to depart |
| 番 | fān | (Measure word for events, times) |
| 春秋 | chūn qiū | Spring and autumn, representing years |
| 冬夏 | dōng xià | Winter and summer, representing years |
| 酸甜苦辣 | suān tián kǔ là | The flavors of life (lit. sour, sweet, bitter, spicy; metaphor for life’s ups and downs) |
| 敢问 | gǎn wèn | Dare to ask |
| 路 | lù | Road, path |
| 何方 | hé fāng | Where? (formal/literary) |
| 脚下 | jiǎo xià | Under one’s feet, beneath the feet |
| 翻山 | fān shān | To cross mountains |
| 涉水 | shè shuǐ | To wade through water |
| 两肩 | liǎng jiān | Both shoulders |
| 霜花 | shuāng huā | Frost flowers, frost (metaphor for hardships) |
| 风云雷电 | fēng yún léi diàn | Wind, clouds, thunder, lightning (symbolizing turbulent challenges) |
| 任 | rèn | No matter, to allow |
| 叱咤 | chì zhà | To dominate, to roar with power |
| 一路 | yí lù | All the way |
| 豪歌 | háo gē | Heroic song |
| 天涯 | tiān yá | The ends of the earth, faraway place |
Key phrases & expressions:
- 敢问路在何方？(Gǎn wèn lù zài hé fāng?) – “Dare to ask, where is the road?” (Metaphor for seeking direction in life)
- 路在脚下。(Lù zài jiǎo xià.) – “The road is under your feet.” (Encouragement to move forward)
- 一番番春秋冬夏 (Yī fān fān chūn qiū dōng xià) – “One after another, springs, autumns, winters, and summers.” (Time passing)
- 一场场酸甜苦辣 (Yī chǎng chǎng suān tián kǔ là) – “One after another, the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy (moments of life).” (Life’s joys and struggles)
Interpretation 《敢问路在何方》 (Where is the Road?)
This legendary song is a metaphorical journey through life, using the pilgrimage of Tang Sanzang and his disciples as a symbol of personal growth and perseverance.
The first verse describes 挑着担 (tiāo zhe dàn, carrying a burden) and 牵着马 (qiān zhe mǎ, leading the horse) – a vivid image of hardship and teamwork. As they 迎 (yíng, welcome) the 日出 (rì chū, sunrise) and 送 (sòng, send off) the 晚霞 (wǎn xiá, sunset clouds), time passes, representing 一番番春秋冬夏 (yī fān fān chūn qiū dōng xià, the changing seasons of life).
The challenges of the journey are reflected in phrases like 踏平坎坷成大道 (tà píng kǎn kě chéng dà dào, overcoming hardships to create a great path) and 斗罢艰险又出发 (dòu bà jiān xiǎn yòu chū fā, battling dangers and setting out again). Life is full of 风云雷电 (fēng yún léi diàn, wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning), symbolizing difficulties, but the lyrics encourage perseverance.
The refrain, 敢问路在何方？路在脚下！(Gǎn wèn lù zài hé fāng? Lù zài jiǎo xià!), reminds us that the path forward is always beneath our feet – our destiny is shaped by our determination and actions.
Ultimately, the song is an anthem of resilience, encouraging people to press on through life’s 酸甜苦辣 (suān tián kǔ là, joys and struggles), forging their own 大道 (dà dào, great path) toward their dreams.
