Meaning
泄气 literally means 'to leak air' and describes the feeling of losing enthusiasm, confidence, or morale. It captures that deflated feeling when motivation drains away, similar to air escaping from a tire. The word conveys a sense of emotional deflation after encountering setbacks or disappointments.
Usage
Commonly used in everyday conversation to describe losing motivation or feeling discouraged. Often appears with 不要 or 别 in encouragement (别泄气 'don't lose heart'). Can describe both temporary disappointment and longer-term demoralization. The tone is more colloquial than literary alternatives like 气馁.
Examples
- 01考试没考好，但是你不要泄气，下次继续努力。, , .You didn't do well on the exam, but don't get discouraged—keep working hard next time.
- 02他遇到困难就泄气了，完全没有坚持下去。, .He got discouraged as soon as he encountered difficulties and didn't persist at all.
Characters
Common collocations
- 别泄气don't get discouraged
- 感到泄气to feel discouraged
- 有点泄气a bit discouraged
- 不要泄气don't lose heart
Antonyms
Origin
The metaphor comes from the image of air leaking out of something inflated, like a balloon or tire losing pressure. This physical image of deflation naturally extends to describe loss of mental or emotional energy.