Discover the meaning, origin, and cultural story behind this iconic Chinglish expression — and why it captured the world's attention.
"Add oil" is a direct translation of the Chinese encouragement "加油" (jiā yóu), literally meaning "add fuel." It is used to cheer someone on — the equivalent of "Go for it!" or "You can do it!" In 2018, it was officially added to the Oxford English Dictionary, making it one of the few Chinglish phrases to achieve mainstream lexical recognition.
The phrase originated from Cantonese usage at car racing events — literally "add fuel to the engine." It spread across China and became the universal expression of encouragement. Its inclusion in the Oxford English Dictionary in October 2018 marked a historic moment for Chinglish. The OED editors noted that the phrase had gained sufficient global usage to warrant inclusion.
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