As we find ourselves delving deeper into the frozen wastes of winter quarter, I’ve decided that it’s time for a bit of slang. I really do enjoy “right proper” English words, but it’s good to take a break from the well-trodden path of regular etymology every now and then. For this, we have Megan Wagoner to thank for the idea.

Gung ho is a manly adjective that means “zealous,” “eager” and “enthusiastic.” It has its origins in another winter quarter not so long ago.

In February 1942, the Unites States, England and their Allies weren’t doing so well. The Nazi war machine had been stomping all over Europe for three years, and the Japanese army and navy were having a grand old time conquering most of the Pacific Rim. The Brits had just surrendered Singapore, and American forces were being driven out of the Philippines. New Guinea and Australia were next.

In short, the Allies were getting their collective butts kicked by the forces of evil.

That’s where our word comes in.

Lt. Col. Evans Carlson of the United States Marines wasn’t happy about how the war was going. The commander of the legendary 2nd Marine Raider Battalion, Carlson (1896–1947) was a battle-hardened veteran of the First World War who had spent a significant chunk of his long career in Asia.

In 1937, he spent several years observing the Chinese army in their valiant but losing fight against the invading Japanese army. As part of his job, he went behind Japanese lines for the better part of a year with Chinese communist guerrillas. Carlson returned to the United States to speak and lecture on the dangers of an aggressive, expanding Japan.

After the start of the war in December 1941, he was given command of a battalion of U.S. Marines. Inspired by his time with the communist guerrillas, Carlson trained his all-volunteer unit along egalitarian, democratic lines, with enlisted men having their say in what Carlson called “kung-hou” meetings, where tactical problems were worked out and orders explained in detail.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the expression gung ho comes from the Chinese Mandarin word gōnghé, meaning “to work together,” from the self-explanatory combination of gōng, meaning “work” and hé, “together.” It’s a short adaptation of gōngyèhézuòshè, the Chinese Industrial Cooperative Society.

Gung ho came to epitomize the elite spirit of the Raiders. As Carlson explained in a 1943 article in Life magazine, “My motto caught on and they began to call themselves the Gung Ho Battalion.” Morale was high in “Carlson’s Raiders,” but they would need every drop of élan they could muster.

In daring raids on Makin Island in August and Guadalcanal in November 1942, the Raiders won fame for their gutsy operations behind enemy lines. Further adventures and commendations for Carlson and his men followed as the tide of war turned in the Allies’ favor.

So, I challenge you all to be gung ho this quarter. You may not be surrounded and outnumbered in the literal sense, but I know that school, work and life can figuratively swamp us. Fight back — be gung ho! Please feel free to also submit your word suggestions, and until next time, cheers!

[Reach columnist Will Mari at features@thedaily.washington.edu.]