How to Say “Add” in Chinese? 加 Jia and 补充 Buchong in Mandarin
Chinese Verbs – Add | 加 Jia and 补充 Buchong in Mandarin
Add in Chinese is 加 Jiā and the other word is 补充 Bǔchōng. If you arrive here expecting to know how to count “1 + 1 = 2”, you can check out this page on Chinese Arithmetic – Basic Math Calculation. Otherwise, kindly read on.
① Add Oil in Chinese – 加油 Jiayou
The most popular search online associated with the word “Add 加 Jiā” is “加油 Jiāyóu“. Literally “Add Oil“. 加油 Jiā yóu in Chinese is an encouragement word most often heard during competitions in sporting events.
It has no direct English translation but suggests “Come on! You can do it! Do your best!” Oil represents the energy given to an engine to keep it running and hence, the word “Add oil“.
Other than sports events, in day-to-day routine life, one can often hear this word of encouragement to elevate a person morally or spiritually when one gets too tired or stressed up over the work or even relationship!
The meaning of “Add Oil” will thus change accordingly to the circumstance used as shown in the three examples below. Overall, it is positive energy.
It’s going to be your turn to play in the competition. Don’t be nervous! Go all out! Add Oil! (Do your best!)!
快要轮到你上场比赛了。别紧张！全力以赴！加油！
Kuài yào lún dào nǐ shàng chǎng bǐ sài le. Bié jǐn zhāng! Quán lì yǐ fù! Jiā yóu!
Recently, always see you working overtime. Don’t tire yourself out. Add Oil! (Be uplifted!)
最近，老是看你加班。别累坏自己。加油！
Zuì jìn, lǎo shì kàn nǐ jiā bān. Bié lèi huài zì jǐ. Jiā yóu!
– Every time I ask her out, she rejected me. How disheartening!
– Add Oil! (Stay Positive!) Don’t be discouraged! Don’t’ give up!
– 我每次约她出去都被她拒绝了。好沮丧！
– 加油！ 别气馁！别放弃！
– Wǒ měi cì yuē tā chū qù dōu bèi tā jù jué le. Hǎo jǔ sàng!
– Jiā yóu! Bié qì něi! Bié fàng qì!
② Add in Chinese – 加 Jia
Add up the total amount.
把总数加起来。
Bǎ zǒng shù jiā qǐ lái.
Add me on Facebook.
在脸书上加我。
Zài liǎn shū shàng jiā wǒ.
Add us to your fundraising project.
筹款的项目，加上我们一份。
Chóu kuǎn de xiàng mù, jiā shàng wǒ men yī fèn.
Are you feeling full? Do you want to add (order) more dishes/food?
你们吃得饱吗？还要加菜吗？
Nǐ men chī dé bǎo ma? Hái yào jiā cài ma?
The water you use for cooking rice is too little. Add a bit more water.
你煮饭时用太少水了。加多一点水。
Nǐ zhǔ fàn shí yòng tài shǎo shuǐ le. Jiā duō yī diǎn shuǐ.
These few days I did not sleep well in addition to my long working hours, unusually tired.
这几天我睡得不好，再加上我工作时间很长，特别累。
Zhè jǐ tiān wǒ shuì dé bù hǎo, zài jiā shàng wǒ gōng zuò shí jiān hěn zhǎng, tè bié lèi.
③ Add in Chinese – 补充 Buchong
补充 Bǔchōng can also mean supplement.
I have said so much, is there anything you want to add?
我说了那么多，你还有什么要补充的吗？
Wǒ shuō le nà me duō, nǐ hái yǒu shé me yào bǔ chōng de ma?
Every month, I help to supplement income to the household.
我每个月都有帮忙补充家用。
Wǒ měi gè yuè dōu yǒu bāng máng bǔ chōng jiā yòng.
Eat more fruits to supplement the water in your body.
在炎热的天气里，多吃水果补充水分。
Zài yán rè de tiān qì lǐ, duō chī shuǐ guǒ bǔ chōng shuǐ fèn.
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