What does "Work your way up" mean?

To advance through hard work and experience Starting at the bottom and advancing through effort and merit.

How do you use "Work your way up" in a sentence?

Worked my way up from the mailroom. Work your way up the company. She worked her way up. Working my way up.

Work your way up

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Neutral

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Meaning: To advance through hard work and experience

通过努力和经验晋升

Ascender mediante el esfuerzo y la experiencia

努力と経験で出世する

노력과 경험으로 출세하다

Starting at the bottom and advancing through effort and merit.

从底层做起，凭借努力和实力不断进步。

Empezar desde abajo y progresar gracias al esfuerzo y el mérito.

下から始めて、努力と実力で昇進していくこと。

밑바닥에서 시작하여 노력과 실력으로 올라가는 것.

Examples

Worked my way up from the mailroom.
从收发室一路做上来的
Empecé en el correo y fui subiendo
郵便室から叩き上げた
우편실에서부터 올라왔어.
Work your way up the company.
在公司靠实力晋升
Ir subiendo en la empresa
会社で実力で出世する
회사에서 실력으로 올라가.
She worked her way up.
她是一步步做上来的
Ella se labró su camino
彼女は叩き上げで出世した
그녀는 밑바닥부터 올라왔어.
Working my way up.
正在努力往上爬
Estoy labrándome mi camino
今、実力で上を目指している
지금 실력으로 올라가는 중이야.

Pronunciation

/wɜːk jɔː weɪ ʌp/

Usage Guide

Context: career, success, hard work

Tone: admiring, aspirational

✓ Do Say

Work your way up.
靠实力晋升
Ir subiendo
実力で出世する
실력으로 올라가다.
Worked my way up.
一路做上来的
Me labré mi camino
叩き上げた
밑바닥부터 올라왔어.
Working my way up.
正在努力向上
Estoy progresando
上を目指している
지금 올라가는 중이야.

✗ Don't Say

Usually admiring
通常是赞赏的意思
Generalmente admirativo
通常は称賛の意味
보통 감탄의 의미로 사용됨
Meritocracy ideal
精英主义理想
Ideal meritocrático
実力主義の理想
능력주의적 이상

Common Mistakes

Usually positive
Universal expression

Origin & History

From advancing through ranks by working hard.

Etymology: From advancing through effort

First recorded: Common expression

Cultural Context

Era: Traditional

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: American Dream; Success stories

Regional notes: Universal expression. Core to work ethic culture.

Variations

Work your way upWorked my way upWorking up