Supersize
Meaning: To upgrade to the largest available portion size, especially at fast-food restaurants.
Made famous by McDonald's in the 1990s, 'supersize' means making your meal the biggest available size. Though McDonald's discontinued the option after the 2004 documentary 'Super Size Me,' the word lives on as a verb meaning to make anything bigger. It's become a symbol of American excess.
Examples
- Do you want to supersize that for an extra dollar? 加一美元要不要升级为超大份?¿Quieres agrandarlo por un dólar más?あと1ドルでスーパーサイズにしますか?1달러 추가하면 슈퍼사이즈로 해 드릴까요?
- Americans love to supersize everything — cars, houses, meals. 美国人什么都喜欢加大——车、房子、饭量。A los estadounidenses les encanta agrandar todo: coches, casas, comidas.アメリカ人は何でもスーパーサイズにするのが大好きだ——車も家も食事も。미국인들은 뭐든지 슈퍼사이즈로 하는 걸 좋아한다——차도, 집도, 식사도.
- The documentary Super Size Me made people rethink their fast food habits. 纪录片《超大号的我》让人们重新审视了自己的快餐习惯。El documental Super Size Me hizo que la gente se replanteara sus hábitos de comida rápida.ドキュメンタリー映画『スーパーサイズ・ミー』は、人々にファストフードの習慣を見直させた。다큐멘터리 영화 '슈퍼사이즈 미'는 사람들이 패스트푸드 습관을 다시 생각하게 만들었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: fast food, consumption culture, humor
Tone: casual, sometimes satirical
✓ Do Say
- Want to supersize that?要加大吗?¿Quieres agrandarlo?スーパーサイズにする?슈퍼사이즈로 할래?
- Everything in America is supersized.在美国什么都是超大号的。En Estados Unidos todo es a lo grande.アメリカでは何もかもスーパーサイズだ。미국에서는 모든 게 슈퍼사이즈야.
✗ Don't Say
- McDonald's no longer offers 'supersizing' — using the term there will confuse the staff麦当劳已经不再提供'超大号'选项了——在那里用这个词会让店员一头雾水McDonald's ya no ofrece la opción 'supersize' — usar el término allí confundirá al personal.マクドナルドではもう「スーパーサイズ」を提供していない——店で使うと店員が困惑する맥도날드에서는 더 이상 '슈퍼사이즈'를 제공하지 않는다——거기서 이 용어를 쓰면 직원이 당황할 수 있다
Origin & History
Coined by McDonald's in 1994 as a menu upsell option. Became a cultural phenomenon and entered the dictionary as a verb. The 2004 documentary 'Super Size Me' by Morgan Spurlock made it a household word worldwide.
Cultural Context
Era: 1994 (McDonald's), mainstream cultural term from 2004
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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