Gung ho!

by chuckofish

“Gung Ho” is an expression that I have known and used my whole life, but I never knew (or thought about) its derivation until I watched a movie the other night entitled Gung Ho: The Story of Carlson’s Makin Island Raiders (1943).

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It is, indeed, a Chinese expression that means “To Work in Harmony”–“Gung” translates as “to work” and “Ho” as “harmony”. The phrase became the motto of the 2nd Marine Battalion and eventually worked its way into the American vernacular. Over time, it has come to mean “unthinkingly enthusiastic and eager, especially about taking part in fighting or warfare.” This is how I use it.

I guess there are a lot of expressions that I use every day which I don’t really know the meaning. Does anyone else say, “gung ho”?

Well, I am gung ho for the weekend! But I will be taking it easy. I fell again (pushing the neighbor’s large recycling bin out of the middle of the street) and bruised both knees this time and strained my shoulder/arm which is now in a sling. Pathetic.

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Oh, Mamu, no!

By the way, the movie was not very good, even as made-during-the-war propaganda. I fell asleep.