加把劲，孩子
jiā bǎ jìn, hái zi
The English phrase "work harder, child" is translated into Chinese as 加把劲，孩子 (jiā bǎ jìn, hái zi).
This phrase is used as an encouraging imperative to motivate a child to exert more effort toward a task. To express the idea of doing something "even more", you can use the phrase 更加. Additionally, the term 加油 is a popular way to cheer someone on and push them to work harder.
Which one should you use?
While 加把劲，孩子 is a standard way to express this, there are several informal variations. You might use 孩子，加油 (child, add oil), 努力一点，孩子 or 孩子，加倍努力吧.
How do you pronounce it?
jiā bǎ jìn, hái zi
Did you know?
- In highly competitive academic environments, phrases like 加把劲 are often associated with the 'chicken blood' (鸡血) culture, where parents inject an intense, almost frantic level of motivation into their children.
- The phrase 加把劲 uses the measure word 把 (bǎ), which is specifically used for objects with handles, like a knife or an umbrella.
- The encouraging phrase 加油 (add oil) is so common that it was officially recognized as a loanword in the English Oxford dictionary in 2018.
Examples in context
- 父亲开导儿子说：“加油，孩子！只要你努力，就一定能够取得好成绩。”The father comforted his son by saying, "Work harder, child! As long as you put in the effort, you will definitely achieve good results."
- 再加把劲，孩子，你快成功了。Zài jiā bǎ jìn, háizi, nǐ kuài chénggōng le.Work harder, child, you are almost there.
- 加把劲，孩子，别放弃。Jiā bǎ jìn, háizi, bié fàngqì.Work harder, child, don't give up.
Example conversation
A father encourages his daughter while she is studying.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen爸爸，这道题太难了。bà ba, zhè dào tí tài nán le.Dad, this problem is too hard.
- 俊杰 Junjie加把劲，孩子，慢慢想。jiā bǎ jìn, hái zi, màn màn xiǎng.Work harder, child, think about it slowly.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我想到了！我知道怎么做。wǒ xiǎng dào le! wǒ zhī dào zěn me zuò.I got it! I know how to do it.
- 俊杰 Junjie太棒了，晓雯！tài bàng le, xiǎo wén!That's wonderful, Xiaowen!
