Pinyin Lyrics, English Lyrics (Translation), Info/About, Background Story, Covers & Versions, Chords, Video, and Streaming Links of Too Clever by Half聪明累(Cong Ming Lei) A Dream of Red Mansions OST By Chen Li陈力
Info/About “Too Clever by Half”
Song Name | Too Clever by Half聪明累(Cong Ming Lei) |
Artist | Chen Li陈力 |
Lyricist | Cao Xueqin (Author of this classic novel) (Qing Dynasty) |
Composer | Wang Liping |
Released | 1987 |
Genre | Pop/Soundtrack |
Language | Mandarin |
Background Story of “Too Clever by Half”
This song was an insert song of the Classic TV Series “A Dream of Red Mansions 1987红楼梦1987版“, and it was released in 1987.

“A Dream of Red Mansions 1987红楼梦1987版” OST List
Overture to Dream of the Red Mansions红楼梦序曲 | Zheng Xulan郑绪岚 | Overture |
Vainly Knit Brows枉凝眉 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Flower Burial Chant葬花吟 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Qing Wen’s Song晴雯歌 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
All Good Things Must End好了歌 | Wang Liping王立平 | Insert Song |
Too Clever by Half聪明累 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Parting from Flesh and Blood分骨肉 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Three Stanzas on a Handkerchief题帕三绝 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Autumn Window, Wind and Rain Night秋窗风雨夕 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Song of Purple Water Chestnut Islet紫菱洲歌 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Elegy for Xiangling叹香菱 | Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
The Red Bean Song红豆曲 | Ye Mao叶矛 & Wang Jieshi王洁实 & Chen Li陈力 | Insert Song |
Prelude to the Dream of Red Mansions红楼梦引子 | Chen Li陈力 | Prelude |
Lyrics in Pinyin/Mandarin/English of “Too Clever by Half”
cōng míng lèi
聪明累
Too Clever by Half
jī guān suàn jìn tài cōng míng
机关算尽太聪明
Too shrewd by half, with all your schemes
fǎn suàn le qīng qīng xìng mìng
反算了卿卿性命
You’ve contrived your own destruction, it seems
shēng qián xīn yǐ suì sǐ hòu xìng kōng líng
生前心已碎,死后性空灵
In life your heart was broken, in death your spirit roams
jiā fù rén níng zhōng yǒu gè
家富人宁终有个
Wealth brings its own calamities
jiā wáng rén sàn gè bēn téng
家亡人散各奔腾
Ruin comes, and each man for himself runs
wǎng fèi le yì xuán xuán bàn shì xīn
枉费了,意悬悬半世心
All your anxious scheming half your life long
hǎo yī sì dàng yōu yōu sān gēng mèng
好一似,荡悠悠三更梦
Was no more than a dream in the dead of night
hū lǎ lǎ sì dà shà qīng
忽喇喇似大厦倾
Crash! Like a great mansion’s fall
hūn cǎn cǎn sì dēng jiāng jìn
昏惨惨似灯将尽
Gloom! Like a lamp’s last flickering light
yā yī chǎng huān xǐ hū bēi xīn
呀!一场欢喜忽悲辛
Ah! One moment revelry, the next despair
tàn rén shì zhōng nán dìng
叹人世,终难定
Alas! Human affairs are hard to bear
zhōng nán dìng
终难定
Hard to bear
jī guān suàn jìn tài cōng míng
机关算尽太聪明
Too shrewd by half, with all your schemes
fǎn suàn le qīng qīng xìng mìng
反算了卿卿性命
You’ve contrived your own destruction, it seems
shēng qián xīn yǐ suì sǐ hòu xìng kōng líng
生前心已碎,死后性空灵
In life your heart was broken, in death your spirit roams
jiā fù rén níng zhōng yǒu gè
家富人宁终有个
Wealth brings its own calamities
jiā wáng rén sàn gè bēn téng
家亡人散各奔腾
Ruin comes, and each man for himself runs
wǎng fèi le yì xuán xuán bàn shì xīn
枉费了,意悬悬半世心
All your anxious scheming half your life long
hǎo yī sì dàng yōu yōu sān gēng mèng
好一似,荡悠悠三更梦
Was no more than a dream in the dead of night
hū lǎ lǎ sì dà shà qīng
忽喇喇似大厦倾
Crash! Like a great mansion’s fall
hūn cǎn cǎn sì dēng jiāng jìn
昏惨惨似灯将尽
Gloom! Like a lamp’s last flickering light
yā yī chǎng huān xǐ hū bēi xīn
呀!一场欢喜忽悲辛
Ah! One moment revelry, the next despair
tàn rén shì zhōng nán dìng
叹人世,终难定
Alas! Human affairs are hard to bear
zhōng nán dìng
终难定
Hard to bear
Covers & Versions of “Too Clever by Half”
MV Version
FMV Version
Cover by 墨脉
Symphony Orchestra Cover
Another Symphony Orchestra Cover
Wang Jieshi王洁实 Version
Traditional Instruments Cover
Chords of “Too Clever by Half”
Sorry, I can’t find any yet, but I’ll keep looking, please come back later.
Streaming Links of “Too Clever by Half”
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Other Tracks by “Chen Li陈力” You Would Probably Like Too
![]() | Vainly Knit Brows枉凝眉 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Flower Burial Chant葬花吟 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Qing Wen’s Song晴雯歌 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Too Clever by Half聪明累 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Parting from Flesh and Blood分骨肉 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Three Stanzas on a Handkerchief题帕三绝 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Autumn Window, Wind and Rain Night秋窗风雨夕 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Song of Purple Water Chestnut Islet紫菱洲歌 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Elegy for Xiangling叹香菱 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | The Red Bean Song红豆曲 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |
![]() | Prelude to the Dream of Red Mansions红楼梦引子 (A Dream of Red Mansions OST) |