What’s 打气 (dǎ qì)?

Have you heard of the expression "打气 (dǎ qì)"? The word "打 (dǎ)" means "hit/strike," and "气 (qì)" means "air/gas." As you might guess, this is the literal way of saying "pump up, inflate with air." You might use it when speaking about inflating a bicycle tire.

Example:

Nǐ gěi zì xíng chē tāi dǎ qì le ma?

你 给    自行车胎  打 气 了 吗？

Have you pumped up the bicycle?

However, what is its non-literal meaning? You are probably familiar with the term "加油 (jiā yóu)," literally meaning "add oil," but Chinese people also use it to mean "come on" as a common way to cheer someone on. The word "打气 (dǎ qì)" is quite similar. And friends can use this word to encourage each other during competitions or during some meaningful or important activities.

Chinese people also use this word to express "to bolster up morale/to encourage." For example, if your friend will take the HSK exam, you can say:

Wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ qì, nǐ huì kǎo guò de!

我   给  你 打 气，你 会 考 过  的！

I will cheer for you. You will pass the exam.

Source: echineselearning