<p>I'd say it's similar to the English phrase "down to Earth", which is pretty much the literal translation of 接地气</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-16T21:31:14.753Z
2014-06-16T21:31:14.753Z
user5786
<p>From Baidu encyclopedia:
<a href="http://baike.baidu.com/view/859205.htm" rel="nofollow">http://baike.baidu.com/view/859205.htm</a></p>

<p>simple translate:
接地气 is a popular phrase in China since 2012. It means to connect with the low level of society, be near the real daily life.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-06T14:42:14.187Z
2014-06-06T14:42:14.187Z
Allen St.Clair
<p>Additional meanings to all the above sayings:</p>

<p>“接地气” is a newly-created fixed phrase in China used to describe some official members should be more pratical and communicate with the common people in their daily work instead of acting in an arbitrary fashion in an office by commanding others to do …… You can use this to describe someone who is doing much more than speaking, someone who is more a practical man than a "meaningless" theorist.</p>

<p>example: 作为一个干部，他真**接地气**，能够和群众打成一片。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-11T07:30:36.577Z
2014-06-11T07:50:27.347Z
2014-06-11T07:50:27.347Z
xqMogvKW
<p>接地气 basically means <strong>being banal/up-to-date/practical</strong>. Another meaning is to <strong>get the essence of earth</strong>, as in some cases for patients long in bed.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>出门接接地气吧，爱光脚的人寿命长。<a href="http://www.chuanxi.com.cn/Article/Content/6509" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A usage of 接地气.</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>In the first case, however, 地气=泥土气=土气。土气 is a word we describe sth. to be very banal and village-like.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/n9lcb.jpg" alt="**例：土气。 《美丽的大脚》剧照**"></p>
  
  <p><strong>例：土气。 《美丽的大脚》剧照</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>We use the verb 接 here partly because it is dialectal. But it has a picture-like sense. As we put something on ground, it will 接 (get) the 气 (essence) of 地 (earth).</p>

<p>Thus </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我只能说大陆的法律能接点地气吗？如果在台湾，这属于通奸罪。</p>
  
  <p>I can only say: Can laws in mainland <strong>be more practical</strong>? If in Taiwan, this would be convicted as aduldery!</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-08T16:02:55.770Z
2014-06-08T16:12:38.787Z
2014-06-08T16:12:38.787Z
Joseph S WU
<p>I saw this comment online the other day:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我只能说大陆的法律能接点地气吗？如果在台湾，这属于通奸罪。</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>I'm a bit confused about the [接＋地气] part. 地气 has some <em>funny</em> definitions in the following two dictionaries:</p>

<h1>ABC:</h1>

<pre><code>·climate

·subtle essence that supposedly animates the earth
</code></pre>

<h1>Oxford:</h1>

<pre><code>·ground vapour

·temperature
</code></pre>

<p>but really 接＋地气＝?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-06-06T11:27:50.663Z
地气 means folk customs or the customs/practices/thoughts (气) among the lower social class (地). 接地气 means that to adopt such customs, not setting oneself up.
user58955
<meaning><meaning-in-context>
meaning: 接＋地气＝?
# meaning: 接＋地气＝?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-06-06)

I saw this comment online the other day:

我只能说大陆的法律能接点地气吗？如果在台湾，这属于通奸罪。


I'm a bit confused about the [接＋地气] part. 地气 has some funny definitions in the following two dictionaries:
ABC:
·climate

·subtle essence that supposedly animates the earth

Oxford:
·ground vapour

·temperature

but really 接＋地气＝?

**Tags:** meaning, meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 地气 means folk customs or the customs/practices/thoughts (气) among the lower social class (地). 接地气 means that to adopt such customs, not setting oneself up.  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2014-06-08. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

接地气 basically means **being banal/up-to-date/practical**. Another meaning is to **get the essence of earth**, as in some cases for patients long in bed.

> 出门接接地气吧，爱光脚的人寿命长。[A usage of 接地气.](http://www.chuanxi.com.cn/Article/Content/6509)

In the first case, however, 地气=泥土气=土气。土气 is a word we describe sth. to be very banal and village-like.

> ![**例：土气。 《美丽的大脚》剧照**](https://i.sstatic.net/n9lcb.jpg)
>
> **例：土气。 《美丽的大脚》剧照**

We use the verb 接 here partly because it is dialectal. But it has a picture-like sense. As we put something on ground, it will 接 (get) the 气 (essence) of 地 (earth).

Thus

> 我只能说大陆的法律能接点地气吗？如果在台湾，这属于通奸罪。
>
> I can only say: Can laws in mainland **be more practical**? If in Taiwan, this would be convicted as aduldery!


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### Answer by username_2 on 2014-06-16. Score: 3

I'd say it's similar to the English phrase "down to Earth", which is pretty much the literal translation of 接地气


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### Answer by username_3 on 2014-06-06. Score: 3

From Baidu encyclopedia:
<http://baike.baidu.com/view/859205.htm>

simple translate:
接地气 is a popular phrase in China since 2012. It means to connect with the low level of society, be near the real daily life.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2014-06-11. Score: 1

Additional meanings to all the above sayings:

“接地气” is a newly-created fixed phrase in China used to describe some official members should be more pratical and communicate with the common people in their daily work instead of acting in an arbitrary fashion in an office by commanding others to do …… You can use this to describe someone who is doing much more than speaking, someone who is more a practical man than a "meaningless" theorist.

example: 作为一个干部，他真\*\*接地气\*\*，能够和群众打成一片。


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