<p><code>一眼之念</code> is an imitation of the structure <code>一A之B</code>. The structure usually works in the way of <code>noun(B) of a noun(A)</code>:</p>
<pre><code>一面之缘 Fate of an encounter
一饭之恩 Kindness of a meal-offering
一国之君 King of a nation
</code></pre>
<p>Personally I don't think <code>一眼之念</code> is a particularly good imitation. Because it would be interpreted as <code>Longing of one look</code>, and like the English expression I've used, it is similarly unidiomatic and ambiguous. However, it's pointless to blame a pop song for being ungrammatical, and it's easily understood if we put it into context.</p>
<p><code>一念执着</code> is a shortened way of saying <code>一种执着的念想</code>. In English it would be <code>An obsessed longing</code> or we could use a coma and write <code>A longing, obsessed</code>. In Chinese it could also be <code>执着一念</code>. You asked about grammar, but in fact you can do all sorts of word play and ignore most of the grammatical restrictions in Chinese poems.</p>
<p>So to sum up:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一眼之念 A longing, result of one look</p>
<p>一念执着 A longing, obsessed</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Not as beautiful as @NS.X.'s interpretation, but it might be closer to the original meaning.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-23T09:14:19.390Z
2014-12-23T09:32:55.857Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Wang Dingwei
<p>执着 means 'be attached to; stubbornly pursuit'. In the context of love affections it can be understood as 'obsession' or 'complex'.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一眼之念 It's just one look but I started longing.</p>
<p>一念执着 It's just one time of longing but it has become my obsession.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-22T18:52:26.857Z
2014-12-22T18:52:26.857Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
NS.X.
<p>I want to translate lyrics for 步步惊心 intro song.
(<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8kElvozBY" rel="noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8kElvozBY</a>)</p>

<p>一眼之念 一念执着 - My Chinese friend told me that meaning is 
"I fall in love with you from first look"</p>

<p>一眼之念 - 1 look - I am missing. This is clear.</p>

<p>Can you explain second part? Are there some grammar rule for this sentence?</p>

<grammar><lyrics>
一眼之念 一念执着 meaning
# 一眼之念 一念执着 meaning

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-12-22)

I want to translate lyrics for 步步惊心 intro song.
(<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vj8kElvozBY>)

一眼之念 一念执着 - My Chinese friend told me that meaning is
"I fall in love with you from first look"

一眼之念 - 1 look - I am missing. This is clear.

Can you explain second part? Are there some grammar rule for this sentence?

**Tags:** grammar, lyrics


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-12-23. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

`一眼之念` is an imitation of the structure `一A之B`. The structure usually works in the way of `noun(B) of a noun(A)`:

```
一面之缘 Fate of an encounter
一饭之恩 Kindness of a meal-offering
一国之君 King of a nation

```

Personally I don't think `一眼之念` is a particularly good imitation. Because it would be interpreted as `Longing of one look`, and like the English expression I've used, it is similarly unidiomatic and ambiguous. However, it's pointless to blame a pop song for being ungrammatical, and it's easily understood if we put it into context.

`一念执着` is a shortened way of saying `一种执着的念想`. In English it would be `An obsessed longing` or we could use a coma and write `A longing, obsessed`. In Chinese it could also be `执着一念`. You asked about grammar, but in fact you can do all sorts of word play and ignore most of the grammatical restrictions in Chinese poems.

So to sum up:

> 一眼之念 A longing, result of one look
>
> 一念执着 A longing, obsessed

Not as beautiful as @NS.X.'s interpretation, but it might be closer to the original meaning.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-12-22. Score: 2

执着 means 'be attached to; stubbornly pursuit'. In the context of love affections it can be understood as 'obsession' or 'complex'.

> 一眼之念 It's just one look but I started longing.
>
> 一念执着 It's just one time of longing but it has become my obsession.


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