“給力”是當前在中國極為流行的網絡熱詞，它的字面意思是“給予力量”，但是現在被廣泛用做形容詞，描述某事物很“酷”、“牛”、“帶勁兒”。

The Chinese cyber buzzword "geili" literally means "to give power" but is now widely accepted as an adjective describing something that's "cool," "awesome" or "exciting."

然而，最早在網絡上流行起來的卻是“給力”的反義詞。今年五月，在網上流傳的一集日本搞笑動畫片的中文配音中，出現了“不給力”的說法，意思是“乏味”、“無聊”。

But it was the word's antonym, "bugeili"?-- meaning dull or boring?-- that first grabbed public attention after it appeared online in a May episode of a Japanese comic animation.

后來，“給力”一詞逐漸演化，發展出按照漢語音譯的英文版本“gelivable”、“ungelivable”（否定形式），還有法文版“très guélile”。

The word has since evolved the English-sounding forms "gelivable," and "ungelivable," and the French "très guélile."

2010年11月10日，“給力”一詞出現在當天《人民日報》頭版頭條的標題中。報紙上的“給力”與之前在網絡流行的含義有所不同，是“給予力量”、“加油”的意思。盡管如此，一個網絡熱詞竟然登上了相對比較保守的黨報，這件事還是讓千百萬網民們又驚又喜。

On November 10, "Geili" featured in a headline on the front page of the People's Daily. While it had the different meaning "to empower," readers were surprised and delighted to see it used by the usually conservative Party newspaper.

(China.org.cn November 26, 2010)