振作

• Pinyin: zhèn zuò
• Hanzi breakdown: 振 = 扌+ 辰 (rouse/lift); 作 = 人 + 乍 (act/rise — a person suddenly acting)

Meaning

To pull oneself together; to brace up; to overcome low spirits and regain energy and determination.

Often used in the form 振作起来 (pull yourself together). Conveys an active effort to overcome despondency or stagnation. Frequently used in encouraging or self-motivating contexts.

Examples

1. 经历失败后，他花了很长时间才重新振作起来。 After the setback, it took him a long time to pull himself together.
2. 老师不断鼓励情绪低落的学生振作精神，继续前行。 The teacher kept encouraging the downcast students to lift their spirits and keep moving forward.
3. 她反复告诫自己：不能一直消沉，必须振作起来面对现实。 She kept telling herself she couldn’t stay depressed—she had to pull herself together and face reality.

Usage Guide

Context: motivation, personal, coaching

Tone: encouraging

Do Say

• 遭受挫折后要学会振作，而不是就此一蹶不振。(After setbacks, one must learn to pull oneself together rather than collapse once and for all.)
• 他终于振作起来，重新全身心投入到工作之中。(He finally pulled himself together and threw himself back into his work wholeheartedly.)

Don't Say

• 他振作地完成了任务 — 振作 cannot modify verbs as an adverb; use 认真地 (conscientiously) or 积极地 (actively) to describe how a task was carried out

Origin & History

振 (rouse/lift) + 作 (act/rise) — to actively rouse oneself to action

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal