Get a life

American Slang Term American ★★★★★ Very Common Casual
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Meaning: Stop wasting time on trivial things and do something meaningful.

别在无聊的事情上浪费时间了,做点有意义的事吧。
Deja de perder el tiempo con tonterías y haz algo que merezca la pena.
くだらないことに時間を無駄にするな。もっと意味のあることをしろ。
쓸데없는 데 시간 낭비하지 말고 의미 있는 일을 해.

A sharp dismissal telling someone they're too focused on unimportant things, obsessing over something, or being annoying. Implies the person has nothing better to do. Was a quintessential 1990s put-down.

一种尖锐的鄙视,告诉某人他们太专注于无关紧要的事情、太沉迷于某事,或者太烦人了。暗示这个人无所事事。是90年代标志性的吐槽用语。
Un comentario cortante que le dice a alguien que está demasiado centrado en cosas sin importancia, obsesionado con algo o siendo pesado. Da a entender que esa persona no tiene nada mejor que hacer. Fue un insulto típico de los años 90.
どうでもいいことに夢中になりすぎている、何かに執着している、またはうっとうしい人への鋭い批判。もっとやることがないのかという意味合い。1990年代を代表する皮肉な一言だった。
상대가 중요하지 않은 일에 너무 몰두하거나 집착하거나 짜증을 주고 있다는 날카로운 비난이다. 할 일이 없다는 뜻을 내포한다. 1990년대의 대표적인 디스 표현이었다.

Examples

  1. You've been arguing about this online for three hours. Get a life.
    你已经在网上吵了三个小时了。找点正事做吧。
    Llevas tres horas discutiendo por internet. Búscate una vida.
    3時間もネットで言い争ってるの?もっとまともな趣味を見つけろよ。
    3시간이나 인터넷에서 싸우고 있었어? 좀 다른 취미를 가져라.
  2. He memorized every stat from every game. I told him to get a life.
    他把每场比赛的每项数据都背了下来。我叫他别这么无聊了。
    Se sabía de memoria todas las estadísticas de todos los partidos. Le dije que se buscase una vida.
    全試合の全データを暗記してた。いい加減にしろと言ってやった。
    모든 경기의 모든 기록을 외웠대. 좀 인생을 살라고 했지.
  3. Stop stalking my social media and get a life.
    别再偷窥我的社交媒体了,去过你自己的生活吧。
    Deja de acosarme en las redes sociales y búscate una vida.
    人のSNSをストーカーするのやめて、まともな生活を送れよ。
    남의 SNS 스토킹 좀 그만하고 제대로 된 삶을 살아라.

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: dismissal, criticism, exasperation

Tone: rude, dismissive

✓ Do Say

  • Get a life!
    Get a life!
    ¡Búscate una vida!
    もっとまともな生活送れよ!
    좀 제대로 살아라!
  • Seriously, get a life.
    Seriously, get a life.
    En serio, búscate una vida.
    マジで、いい加減にしろよ。
    진짜로, 좀 정신 차려.

✗ Don't Say

  • Genuinely hurtful — use carefully even among friends.
    真的会伤人——即使在朋友之间也要谨慎使用。
    Puede resultar realmente hiriente — úsalo con cuidado incluso entre amigos.
    本当に傷つく言葉。友達同士でも慎重に使うこと。
    진심으로 상처가 되니 친구 사이에서도 조심해서 사용해야 한다.

Origin & History

Became a major American catchphrase in the 1980s-1990s. William Shatner's famous 1986 Saturday Night Live sketch telling Star Trek fans to 'get a life' cemented it in pop culture.

Cultural Context

Era: 1980s–present

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Regional notes: All regions

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