The Mung Bean Cake Made by Your Mom, a nursery rhyme in the Chaoshan dialect, is a playful children's choral piece. Boldly incorporating popular elements of a cappella, it brings out the dialect's rich expressive colors through its layered vocal parts. Taking mung bean cake, a traditional handmade Chaoshan pastry, as its central narrative motif, the song uses warm, authentic local speech to evoke affectionate scenes of everyday community life. Woven into its lyrics is the simple joy of family togetherness in Chaoshan households. By bringing together a beloved pastry, familial affection and the familiar sounds of home, the song awakens childhood memories shared by generations of local people.
Editor's Note: Nursery rhymes are a treasured part of Lingnan's cultural heritage, capturing the region's language, traditions and childhood memories through simple yet vivid lyrics. This series presents a selection of ten original Lingnan nursery rhyme works, showcasing the creativity of contemporary lyricists while preserving the unique charm of Lingnan culture. Join us as we explore these stories, melodies and traditions that continue to inspire young generations.
恁阿媽做個綠豆糕
The Mung Bean Cake Made by Your Mom
Lyrics by Li Liqun
作詞：李立群
Music by Zheng Yiyang
作曲：鄭伊洋
Performed by Jinwan School of Shantou Overseas Chinese Experimental Zone
演唱：汕頭市華僑試驗區金灣學校
[Lyrics]
【歌詞】
你看我過愛食綠豆糕（意：你看我多爱吃绿豆糕）
Look how much I love mung bean cake.
住呾你媽做個綠豆糕非常好（意：就说你妈做的绿豆糕非常好）
Just said the mung bean cakes your mom made were very good.
我開始散做（意：我开始随便做做）
Now, I just make it casually.
你裸呾剔桃（意：你只当我在闹着玩）
You just take it as I am kidding.
無想暗靜住塞來了一袋（意：没想到你悄悄就送来了一袋）
But to my surprise, you quietly brought me a whole bag.
從此我愈愛食綠豆糕（意：从此我更加爱吃绿豆糕）
Ever since then, I love taking mung bean cakes even more.
真實你媽做個綠豆糕非常好（意：真的，你妈做的绿豆糕非常好）
It's true. The mung bean cakes your mom made were really good.
堵著伊有做（意：碰上她做了）
It happened that she has made some,
再也免用討（意：就再也不用讨要）
so I don't need to ask for it.
我個格底自動就有了一大袋（意：我自己就有一大袋）
A whole bag would somehow turn up just for me.
現在許市面也有人在賣綠豆糕（意：现在那市面上也有人在卖绿豆糕）
Now, people sell mung bean cakes at the market too.
清唔清氣（意：干不干净）
Whether they're clean or not,
好唔好食（意：好不好吃）
whether they taste good or not—
無變看清楚（意：都没法看清楚）
there's no way to tell.
所以我更想念當時（意：所以我更想念当时）
That is why I miss those days even more,
你甲我做一堆坐（意：你和我坐在一起）
when you and I sat together,
假做相爭食（意：假装争着吃）
pretending to fight over the cakes,
你一塊我一塊（意：你一块我一块）
one for you and one for me.
（旁白）
(Narration)
甲：阿姐仔呀，綠豆糕攏是純手工做個，配料純正味道好，買撮去內啊勿？（意：小姐姐呀，绿豆糕都是纯手工做的，配料纯正味道好，买一些回去好吗？）
A: Hi, Miss, our mung bean cakes are handmade, the ingredients pure and the taste good. Would you like to buy some?
乙：勿啊勿啊，阮再也唔想食綠豆糕了，多謝啊，你去賣方別人。（意：不要不要，我再也不想吃绿豆糕了，谢谢啊，你去卖给别人吧）
B: No, no. I don't want to take mung bean cakes anymore. Thanks. Sell it to someone else.
甲：下是做尼？（意：那是怎么了？）
A: Then what happened?
乙：個你呾你阿唔曉，勿問豈多……（意：跟你说了你也不懂，别问那么多）
B: You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Don't ask so many questions...
你看我過愛食綠豆糕（意：你看我多爱吃绿豆糕）
Look how much I love mung bean cakes.
住呾你媽做個綠豆糕非常好（意：就说你妈做的绿豆糕非常好）
Just say the mung bean cakes your mom made were very good.
我開始散做（意：我开始随便做做）
Now, I just make it casually.
你裸呾剔桃（意：你只当我在闹着玩）
You just take it as I am kidding.
無想暗靜住塞來了一袋（意：没想到你悄悄就送来了一袋）
But to my surprise, you quietly brought me a whole bag.
從此我愈愛食綠豆糕（意：从此我更加爱吃绿豆糕）
Ever since then, I love taking mung bean cakes even more.
真實你媽做個綠豆糕非常好（意：真的，你妈做的绿豆糕非常好）
It's true. The mung bean cakes your mom made were really good.
堵著伊有做（意：碰上她做了）
It happened that she has made some,
再也免用討（意：就再也不用讨要）
so I don't need to ask for it.
我個格底自動就有了一大袋（意：我自己就有一大袋）
A whole bag would somehow turn up just for me.
一大袋！（意：一大袋！）
A whole bag!
現在許市面也有人在賣綠豆糕（意：现在那市面上也有人在卖绿豆糕）
Now, people sell mung bean cakes at the market too.
清唔清氣（意：干不干净）
Whether they're clean or not,
好唔好食（意：好不好吃）
whether they taste good or not—
無變看清楚（意：都没法看清楚）
there's no way to tell.
所以我更想念當時（意：所以我更想念当时）
That is why I miss those days even more,
你甲我做一堆坐（意：你和我坐在一起）
when you and I sat together,
假做相爭食（意：假装争着吃）
pretending to fight over the cakes,
你一塊我一塊（意：你一块我一块）
one for you and one for me.
別人就算做到再雅再好（意：别人就算做得再精致再好）
No matter how fine or how tasty others make theirs,
也攏輸過你媽做個綠豆糕（意：也比不过你妈做的绿豆糕）
they still can't compare with the mung bean cakes your mom made.
只是後來你已經無在（意：只是后来你已经不在了）
But later, you were no longer there.
我住是想欲食再也無（意：我就是想吃也再也吃不到了）
Even if I want some, I could never have it again.
Text | Zheng Yiling (intern), Liu Lingzhi
