加油
jiāyóu
The English phrase "keep fighting" is expressed in Chinese as 加油 (jiāyóu).
加油 is an expression used to encourage someone to persevere or to do their best. Other variations include the more casual 加油啊 or the informal idiom 撸起袖子加油干, which means "roll up your sleeves and keep fighting".
What does it mean word for word?
加油 is composed of the characters 加, meaning "add" and 油, meaning "oil". Literally, it means "add oil".
How do you pronounce it?
jiāyóu
Did you know?
- The phrase 'add oil' became so globally recognized that it was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2018.
- The phrase originated from the high-speed world of racing, where spectators shouted 加油 to urge drivers to accelerate.
- The character 加 (jiā) is the same character used in the word 'plus' in mathematics, linking the idea of addition to the concept of effort.
Examples in context
- 加油! 你一定能够克服困难的。Keep fighting! You will definitely be able to overcome the difficulties.
- 加油，你可以的！Jiāyóu, nǐ kěyǐ de!Keep fighting, you can do it!
- 别放弃，继续加油。Bié fàngqì, jìxù jiāyóu.Don't give up, keep fighting.
- 大家都要加油啊。Dàjiā dōu yào jiāyóu a.Everyone, keep fighting/do your best.
Example conversation
Jiayi is encouraging Zhiqiang before a big race.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我有点紧张。Wǒ yǒudiǎn jǐnzhāng.I'm a bit nervous.
- 佳怡 Jiayi别担心，加油！Bié dānxīn, jiāyóu!Don't worry, keep fighting!
- 志强 Zhiqiang谢谢你的鼓励。Xièxiè nǐ de gǔlì.Thank you for the encouragement.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，你可以的！Zhìqiáng, nǐ kěyǐ de!Zhiqiang, you can do it!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 加油, CC BY-SA 4.0.
