What is the English word closest to Japanese “Ganbatte,” the word for encouraging people who are in disaster, or challenging a severe ordeal?
Solution 1:
The closest American equivalent to 頑張って is probably "Hang in there!" In British English it used to be "Keep a stiff upper lip," but I don't know how current that is.
Solution 2:
I know of the word ganbatte from my limited study of Japanese.
I guess it tells us something about the Japanese spirit, and something about that of the English speaking world, that there is no English word that fulfils everything that ganbatte means.
That's OK. It's common for words not to have direct translations (today I learned that many languages don't distinguish an ache from a pain!)
So, when you want to translate the word ganbatte you must decide what part of what it means is most important, and use the one(s) that fits best to the situation:
- "chin up" (stop being sad)
- "grit your teeth" (be determined)
- "cheer up"
- "good luck"
- "put best foot forward" (determination again)
- "keep up the good work" / "keep it up"
- "do your best"
- "courage!"
- "don't give up"
- "be strong"
- "onwards and upwards" (but I feel this is more often used sarcastically)
Again, all of these are a compromise - which is why, in circles where English speakers know their peers speak some basic Japanese, they'll use ganbatte kudasai themselves.
Solution 3:
Perhaps this isn't strictly English, but here in New Zealand (particularly Christchurch after the 22 February earthquake) the Maori expression
kia kaha
is often used. As the link says, it means essentially "be strong". Of the little Japanese that I know, I think this is very similar to "Ganbatte".
Solution 4:
I'm thinking of
hang on !
as in persevere (persevere itself being too formal).
This is the closest I can think to Mandarin's jiāyóu (加油) which in this sense means "step on the accelerator".
加油 literally means "add (加)" + "petrol (油)" and has the following meanings:
- top up,
- step on the accelerator
- make an extra effort.
Solution 5:
I keep thinking of the phrase "don't worry, be happy," but if I had to distill that sense down to a word, I think "courage" covers it. Perhaps "have faith" as well?