"rise above" is not as simple as "overcome" as the dictionary says

你的英日語自學導師  ོꦿ༄譯꧁難忘꧂
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IPFS
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"I Rise" (I want to rise)

"Rise above" is a very wise phrase in English. To be able to say this word means to have a profound understanding after going through a lot of torment and cold. The first time I understood the meaning of this phrase was when I heard the lyrics of Madonna's song "I Rise (I want to rise)":

Freedom is what you choose to do with what's been done to you.  …I rise up above it all.

"Freedom" is the choice you make about what happens to you. ...I choose to put myself above it all.

The original meaning of rise is to get up, to rise, to rise. "I rise (up)" not only literally means I want to get up, but in the abstract sense it also means the sudden rise and uprising of an army from the abyss or an unknown state. The title of Madonna's song is to sound the horn for the equal rights of disadvantaged groups, encouraging them to stand up from the corners of society.

The lyrics of I rise up are followed by above it all, in which above is "above...", it is a function word, generally refers to those things that I have encountered, rise above it all together is Chinese. "Beyond all of this", or even "beyond all of this" is more apt and expressive.


rise above = detachment, a state of mind of detachment

So far, the phrase "I rise up above it all" is not only Madonna's voice for the underprivileged, but also that since her debut for more than half a century, after being criticized and bombarded by the media and the community, she has put herself above the state of mind. All the negative energies have gained a kind of detached freedom, which also calls on the disadvantaged groups to break free from the shackles imposed by the outside world and stand up for themselves. So when you hear foreigners say this phrase, you have to understand its profound meaning from an abstract point of view. Of course, in some cases, rise above can also be interpreted as "overcome, get rid of" in general dictionaries. In short, as long as this phrase does not deviate from the original meaning, you can use your own Chinese attainments to apply similar words when appropriate.

Somebody to teach me to love. Somebody to help me rise above. I need to survive. I'm looking for mercy.
Who will teach me how to love. Who will help me transcend. I want to live. I am seeking mercy. (from Madonna lyrics)
It's not the end of the world. You have to rise above it.
This is not the end of the world, you have to step over it and free yourself.
The company has risen above its early problems, and is now doing well.
The company has shaken off (overcame, survived) earlier problems and is in great shape now.
CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

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你的英日語自學導師  ོꦿ༄譯꧁難忘꧂想說道地英文或日文嗎?關鍵是你的「語感力」。很少人能詳盡解釋單字與句子背後的語感,那種老外特有的「神邏輯」。沒那套邏輯,就會講出自以為懂但老外一頭霧水的外文,增加溝通障礙。我是外文新聞工作者,用淺顯文字,把外國人說話邏輯講給你懂,邀你一起雕琢語感力。外語不求人,手把手教你自學!
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