Literally: “add oil”
An exclamation of encouragement meaning “keep going!” or “you can do it!” — used to cheer someone on during challenges, competitions, or difficult moments.
Etymology
Jiā yóu (加油) literally means “add oil” — jiā (加, “add”) plus yóu (油, “oil/fuel”). The most popular origin story traces it to Qing Dynasty salt miners in Zigong, Sichuan, where workers would shout “jiā yóu!” as they added tung oil to lamps to keep them burning through long underground shifts.
Cultural Context
Jiā yóu is perhaps the most universally heard Chinese phrase in the world. At any sporting event, exam hall, marathon, or protest involving Chinese speakers, you’ll hear it chanted rhythmically — “jiā yóu! jiā yóu!” — a collective injection of energy into whoever needs it.
The phrase transcends simple encouragement. When Chinese students face the gaokao (the brutal national college entrance exam), parents, teachers, and entire communities send jiā yóu messages. When athletes represent China internationally, millions of viewers chant it at their screens. It’s collective willpower made audible.
In 2018, jiā yóu was formally added to English dictionaries as a loanword, reflecting its global spread through Chinese diaspora communities and international sporting events. No English phrase — not “go for it,” not “you’ve got this” — quite captures its compressed energy.
Modern Usage
明天考试，加油！ — “The exam is tomorrow — jiā yóu!”