add oil

verb

Synonym of let's go: a cheer of encouragement, support, etc.

Similar
let's go
OriginChinese 加油 →
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Meanings

verbadd oil (third-person singular simple present adds oil, present participle adding oil, simple past and past participle added oil)

present singular third person adds oil · participle present adding oil · participle past added oil · past added oil

  1. ChinaHong KongidiomaticSynonym of let's go: a cheer of encouragement, support, etc.

    Synonyms: let's go

Synonyms & antonyms

verbSynonym of let's go: a cheer of encouragement, support, etc.

Similar
let's go
Also see
let's go

Origin

  1. Chinese加油
  2. Englishadd oil

Calque of Chinese 加油 (jiāyóu), particularly in Hong Kong contexts via its Cantonese pronunciation gaa1 jau4-2, sometimes credited to shouts of support during the Macau Grand Prix. Compare cooking with gas, gas up, fuel up, etc.

More words from Chinese

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

add oil. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/add%20oil

MLA

“add oil.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/add%20oil. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “add oil,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/add%20oil.

Source: add oil on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.