fǔwòchēng: 俯卧撑 - Push-up, Press-up

• Keywords: push-up in Chinese, fǔwòchēng, 俯卧撑, how to say push-up in Chinese, Chinese exercise terms, bodyweight exercise Chinese, do a push-up in Chinese, Chinese slang, Chinese internet culture
• Summary: Learn how to say “push-up” in Chinese with our complete guide to 俯卧撑 (fǔwòchēng). This entry not only breaks down the literal meaning of this common exercise term but also dives into its surprising and famous use in Chinese internet culture and slang. With practical examples, you'll master how to talk about fitness and understand a unique cultural reference.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fǔwòchēng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A
• Concise Definition: A physical exercise in which one lies with their face down and pushes their body up from the floor with their hands.
• In a Nutshell: 俯卧撑 (fǔwòchēng) is the standard Mandarin Chinese word for “push-up” or “press-up.” It's a highly descriptive and literal term, combining characters that mean “to look down,” “to lie down,” and “to prop up.” This makes it very easy to remember, as the word itself paints a picture of the physical action.

• 俯 (fǔ): To look down, to bow, to prostrate. The character is composed of a person radical (亻) and a component (府) that suggests looking down from or bowing towards a large building. Here, it simply means to be oriented downwards.
• 卧 (wò): To lie down. This character depicts a person (人) lying down under a roof or shelter. It clearly signifies the prone position.
• 撑 (chēng): To prop up, to support. The hand radical (扌) on the left indicates an action done with the hands. The right side gives the pronunciation. This character points to the “pushing” or “supporting” part of the exercise.

When combined, 俯-卧-撑 (fǔ-wò-chēng) literally means “looking down-lying-propping up,” a perfect, step-by-step description of a push-up.

While the physical exercise is universal, the term 俯卧撑 has a unique dual meaning in China that English speakers must know. 1. A Standard Exercise: In its primary sense, a push-up is just a push-up. It's a fundamental part of 体育课 (tǐyùkè), or P.E. class, in Chinese schools, military training, and the burgeoning fitness culture in modern cities. It represents strength, discipline, and basic physical fitness, just as it does in the West. 2. The “Push-up Incident” (俯卧撑事件): In 2008, after the suspicious death of a teenage girl in Guizhou province, a local official was questioned by a journalist. His bizarre and now-infamous response was, “我当时在做俯卧撑” (I was doing push-ups at the time), implying he was a clueless bystander who saw nothing. This quote instantly became a massive internet meme. “做俯卧撑” (zuò fǔwòchēng - to do push-ups) evolved into a sarcastic slang term used to mean:

• “It's none of my business.”
• “I'm just an innocent bystander.”
• “I'm feigning ignorance to avoid trouble.”

This is the key cultural difference. While an American might say “I'm just minding my own business,” a Chinese netizen might sarcastically quip “我只是来做俯卧撑的” (I'm just here to do push-ups) to express the same idea in a coded, humorous way.

In any fitness, school, or military context, 俯卧撑 is used literally. It is almost always paired with the verb 做 (zuò), meaning “to do.”

• In the gym: “今天我们练胸，先做几组俯卧撑。” (Today we're training chest, let's do a few sets of push-ups first.)
• As a challenge: “我们比比谁做的俯卧撑多？” (Let's compete to see who can do more push-ups.)
• As a command: “给我做二十个俯卧撑！” (Give me twenty push-ups!)

On social media or forums like Weibo, when a controversial event occurs and people are discussing it, someone might comment “俯卧撑路过” (fǔwòchēng lùguò - “Passing by while doing push-ups”). This signals that they see what's happening but are choosing not to get involved or comment directly, often out of a sense of detached amusement or caution. It’s a way to be present in a discussion without taking a stance.

• Example 1:
  • 我每天早上都做一百个俯卧撑。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang dōu zuò yìbǎi gè fǔwòchēng.
  • English: I do 100 push-ups every morning.
  • Analysis: A standard, literal use of the term. Note the verb 做 (zuò) and the measure word 个 (gè), which are essential for talking about doing push-ups.
• Example 2:
  • 你一次能做多少个俯卧撑？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yí cì néng zuò duōshao gè fǔwòchēng?
  • English: How many push-ups can you do in one go?
  • Analysis: This is a very common question in a fitness context. “一次 (yí cì)” means “one time” or “in one go.”
• Example 3:
  • 体育老师让我们做五十个俯卧撑作为惩罚。
  • Pinyin: Tǐyù lǎoshī ràng wǒmen zuò wǔshí gè fǔwòchēng zuòwéi chéngfá.
  • English: The P.E. teacher made us do 50 push-ups as punishment.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the term used in a school/disciplinary context, which is very common.
• Example 4:
  • 这种钻石俯卧撑对三头肌的锻炼效果特别好。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng zuànshí fǔwòchēng duì sāntóujī de duànliàn xiàoguǒ tèbié hǎo.
  • English: This kind of diamond push-up is especially good for training the triceps.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how you can add adjectives (like 钻石 - diamond) to describe different types of push-ups.
• Example 5:
  • 他太累了，最后一个俯卧撑也没做起来。
  • Pinyin: Tā tài lèi le, zuìhòu yí gè fǔwòchēng yě méi zuò qǐlái.
  • English: He was too tired and couldn't even complete the last push-up.
  • Analysis: “做起来 (zuò qǐlái)” means to successfully do it, with “起来” indicating upward completion of the motion.
• Example 6:
  • 别问我他们为什么吵架，我只是来做俯卧撑的。
  • Pinyin: Bié wèn wǒ tāmen wèishéme chǎojià, wǒ zhǐshì lái zuò fǔwòchēng de.
  • English: Don't ask me why they were arguing, I was just “doing push-ups” (i.e., minding my own business).
  • Analysis: This is a perfect example of the slang usage. The speaker is sarcastically claiming to be an uninvolved bystander.
• Example 7:
  • 网上又出大事了，评论区里一群俯卧撑路过。
  • Pinyin: Wǎngshàng yòu chū dàshì le, pínglùn qū lǐ yīqún fǔwòchēng lùguò.
  • English: Something big happened on the internet again, and the comments section is full of people “passing by doing push-ups.”
  • Analysis: Here, “俯卧撑” is used metaphorically to refer to the people who are feigning ignorance. “路过 (lùguò)” means “to pass by.”
• Example 8:
  • 你的标准俯卧撑姿势是什么？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de biāozhǔn fǔwòchēng zīshì shì shénme?
  • English: What is your standard push-up form?
  • Analysis: Shows how to discuss the technical aspects of the exercise. “标准 (biāozhǔn)” means “standard” and “姿势 (zīshì)” means “posture” or “form.”
• Example 9:
  • 新兵们每天都要进行俯卧撑训练。
  • Pinyin: Xīnbīngmen měitiān dōuyào jìnxíng fǔwòchēng xùnliàn.
  • English: The new recruits have to undergo push-up training every day.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses a more formal verb, 进行 (jìnxíng), meaning “to carry out” or “to conduct,” often used with “训练 (xùnliàn)” for “training.”
• Example 10:
  • 咱们来个俯卧撑挑战吧！
  • Pinyin: Zánmen lái gè fǔwòchēng tiǎozhàn ba!
  • English: Let's have a push-up challenge!
  • Analysis: A casual, conversational way to propose an activity. “来个 (lái gè)” is a colloquial way of saying “let's have a…” or “let's do a…”.

• Always use a verb: A common mistake for learners is to use 俯卧撑 as a verb. It's a noun. You must pair it with a verb like 做 (zuò).
  • Incorrect: 我俯卧撑五十个。(Wǒ fǔwòchēng wǔshí gè.)
  • Correct: 我做五十个俯卧撑。(Wǒ zuò wǔshí gè fǔwòchēng.)
• Use the correct measure word: The measure word for push-ups is 个 (gè), the most common measure word in Chinese. Don't forget to include it when specifying a number.
  • Incorrect: 我能做三十俯卧撑。(Wǒ néng zuò sānshí fǔwòchēng.)
  • Correct: 我能做三十个俯卧撑。(Wǒ néng zuò sānshí gè fǔwòchēng.)
• Don't translate the slang literally: The sarcastic meaning of “doing push-ups” is specific to Chinese internet culture. Saying “I was just doing push-ups” in English will only cause confusion. You must understand it as a cultural idiom, not a literal translation.

• 仰卧起坐 (yǎngwòqǐzuò) - Sit-up or crunch. A very similar descriptive name: “lie on back, rise and sit.”
• 引体向上 (yǐntǐxiàngshàng) - Pull-up. Literally “pull body upwards.”
• 深蹲 (shēndūn) - Squat. Literally “deep squat.”
• 平板支撑 (píngbǎn zhīchēng) - Plank. Literally “flat board support.”
• 健身 (jiànshēn) - Fitness; to work out. The general term for going to the gym and improving one's physique.
• 锻炼 (duànliàn) - To exercise; to train. A broader term that can include anything from jogging to lifting weights.
• 肌肉 (jīròu) - Muscle.
• 体育课 (tǐyùkè) - P.E. (Physical Education) class, where students often do push-ups.
• 做运动 (zuò yùndòng) - To do sports; to do exercise. A general phrase for physical activity.