Zi Zhu Diao (Purple Bamboo Flute)

folk song / traditional

Lyrics - Pinyin

(Chinese folk song)

Yī gēn zǐzhú zhí miáo miáo
sòng gěi bǎobǎo zuò guǎn xiāo
xiāo er duìzhe kǒu
kǒu er duìzhe xiāo
xiāo zhōng chuīchū xīn shí diào
xiǎo bǎobǎo
yīdī yīdī xuéhuìle
xiǎo bǎobǎo
yīdī yīdī xuéhuìle

Singable English

Shining purple straight bamboo,
For my child I’ll make a flute.
Flute to your lips, lips to your flute,
From the flute come pretty melodies.
My precious one,
Yu ti yu ti, you’ve learned now.
My precious one,
Yu ti yu ti, you’ve learned now.

Translation – Purple Bamboo Flute

A purple bamboo stalk is very straight
Make a flute out of it, give it to the baby,
Put the flute against the little mouth
The little mouth against the flute
Play a new tune,
Little baby
Learns little by little,
Little baby
Learns little by little. (source)