“Gung Ho” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on October 10, 2024 by Liam Daniel

You may have heard the phrase ‘gung ho’ used in English conversation, but what does this saying mean? Where did this term come from and how can we use it in our conversations? We are going to answer all of these questions as we look into the meaning behind this term.

Gung Ho Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • “Gung ho” means being extremely enthusiastic and eager, often in an overly energetic or zealous way.
Gung Ho Meaning
Gung Ho Meaning – Created by 7ESL

“Gung Ho” Meaning

“Gung ho” is an English expression that means being extremely enthusiastic, eager, or excited about something, especially in an energetic or overly zealous way. It often implies being highly motivated or keen to take action, sometimes to the point of being overly aggressive or without fully considering the consequences.

Origin of this Term

The term ‘gung ho’ originally comes from the Chinese language, from the term ‘gong he’ which means to work together. The idiom was picked up by sailors and was then used to encourage the seamen onboard military ships.

Usage of “Gung Ho”

Here are some examples of how to use “gung ho” in a sentence:

  1. At work:
    “He’s really gung ho about starting the new project, even though we haven’t finished the current one.”
  2. In sports:
    “The team was so gung ho about winning that they didn’t realize they were making mistakes.”
  3. Everyday conversation:
    “I was gung ho about learning guitar, but I soon realized it takes a lot of patience.”

Related Terms to “Gung Ho”

  • Enthusiastic – showing intense and eager enjoyment or interest.
  • Eager – wanting to do or have something very much.
  • Zealous – showing great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or objective.
  • Motivated – having a strong reason or determination to do something.
  • Excited – feeling or showing happiness and enthusiasm.
  • Energetic – showing or involving great activity or vitality.
  • Passionate – having or expressing strong emotions or a strong enthusiasm for something.
  • Driven – being highly motivated to succeed or accomplish a goal.
  • Keen – very interested or eager to do something.
  • Overzealous – being too enthusiastic or eager, often to the point of being excessive.

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

There is more than one way to express the meaning of the term ‘gung ho,’ here are some examples of other ways you can say it.

  • Zealous
  • Eager
  • Overly keen
  • Excited
  • Enthusiastic

“Gung Ho” Examples

Examples in Statements

A statement made to show how enthusiastic someone is about something.

  • ‘Ian is going into his driving test very gung ho.’

A statement to show personal eagerness.

  • ‘I am feeling very gung ho about this new job.’

Other examples:

  • Oh yeah! George is gung ho about Annie now.
  • Why is everyone so gung ho to connect those two conditions?
  • Mr. Li was gung ho about his new job.

Conversation Examples

Here are some examples of how you might use the term ‘gung ho’ in a conversation.

The first conversation is between two friends discussing someone’s attitude to their new career.

  • Person 1: “Michael is really enjoying his new job, isn’t he.”
  • Person 2: “Yes, he has gone into it with a real gung ho attitude.”

This conversation is between two acquaintances talking about travel.

  • Person 1: “Aren’t you going traveling soon?”
  • Person 2: “Yes, I am going to travel around South America for six months.”
  • Person 1: “Wow, that sounds exciting, how are you feeling about it?”
  • Person 2: “I’m feeling very gung ho, I can’t wait to get going.”
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