Super

American Slang Term American ★★★★★ Very Common Casual
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Meaning: An intensifier meaning 'very' or 'extremely' — used to amplify any adjective.

表示'非常''极其'的强调词——用来加强任何形容词的程度。
Intensificador que significa 'muy' o 'extremadamente' — se usa para amplificar cualquier adjetivo.
「とても」「すごく」を意味する強調語——あらゆる形容詞を強める。
「매우」「극도로」를 뜻하는 강조어——어떤 형용사든 강화하는 데 사용.

'Super' as an American intensifier adds cheerful emphasis to anything. 'Super happy,' 'super tired,' 'super easy' — it's a versatile amplifier that sounds distinctly American. It's often perceived as bubbly or enthusiastic, and is especially common in West Coast and suburban American speech.

'Super'作为美式强调词可以给任何东西增添开朗的语气。'Super happy''super tired''super easy'——它是一个万能的放大器,听起来有明显的美国味。它通常被认为是活泼或热情的,在美国西海岸和郊区的口语中尤其常见。
'Super' como intensificador estadounidense añade un énfasis alegre a cualquier cosa. 'Super happy', 'super tired', 'super easy': es un amplificador versátil que suena distintivamente estadounidense. A menudo se percibe como animado o entusiasta, y es especialmente común en el habla de la Costa Oeste y las zonas suburbanas.
アメリカ的な強調語としての「super」は、何にでも明るい強調を加える。「Super happy」「super tired」「super easy」——アメリカ英語特有の響きを持つ万能な強調語。元気で熱狂的な印象を与え、特にアメリカ西海岸や郊外の話し方でよく使われる。
미국식 강조어로서 'super'는 무엇이든 밝고 활기차게 강조한다. 'Super happy,' 'super tired,' 'super easy' — 뚜렷하게 미국적인 느낌의 다용도 강조어이다. 종종 밝고 열정적인 인상을 주며, 특히 서부 해안과 교외 지역 미국 영어에서 흔하다.

Examples

  1. I'm super excited about the trip next week.
    下周的旅行我超级期待。
    Estoy superemocionado con el viaje de la semana que viene.
    「来週の旅行、めっちゃ楽しみ。」
    「다음 주 여행 진짜 기대돼.」
  2. That test was super hard — I don't think I passed.
    那个考试超级难——我觉得我没过。
    Ese examen estuvo superdifícil — no creo que lo haya aprobado.
    「あのテスト超難しかった——受かった気がしない。」
    「그 시험 엄청 어려웠어——합격한 것 같지 않아.」
  3. She's super nice — you're going to love her.
    她人超级好的——你一定会喜欢她。
    Es supermaja — te va a encantar.
    「彼女すごく優しいよ——絶対気に入るよ。」
    「그녀 엄청 친절해——분명 좋아할 거야.」

Pronunciation

Usage Guide

Context: emphasis, enthusiasm, everyday speech

Tone: enthusiastic, bubbly

✓ Do Say

  • That's super cool.
    那也太酷了。
    Eso mola mucho.
    それめっちゃいいね。
    그거 진짜 멋지다.
  • I'm super sorry about that.
    这件事我超级抱歉。
    Lo siento muchísimo.
    それはほんとにごめんね。
    정말 미안해.

✗ Don't Say

  • Can sound overly cheerful in serious contexts — 'I'm super sorry for your loss' feels tone-deaf
    在严肃场合会显得过于欢快——'I'm super sorry for your loss'(你的亲人去世了我超级难过)听起来很不得体
    Puede sonar excesivamente alegre en contextos serios — 'I'm super sorry for your loss' resulta fuera de lugar
    深刻な場面では明るすぎる印象になる——「I'm super sorry for your loss(ご不幸に超申し訳ない)」は空気が読めていない
    심각한 맥락에서는 지나치게 밝게 들릴 수 있음——'삼가 조의를 표합니다'에 'super'를 붙이면 분위기 파악 못하는 사람 같음

Origin & History

From the Latin prefix 'super' meaning 'above.' Its use as a casual American intensifier gained popularity in the 1970s-80s and has been a staple of enthusiastic American speech ever since. It replaced 'very' in many casual contexts.

Cultural Context

Era: 1970s-80s onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

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