สู้ๆ and Thai cheering

สู้ means 'to fight', and doubled, สู้ๆ becomes Thailand's all-purpose cheer: 'you can do it', 'hang in there', 'go, go!'. You say it to a friend before an exam or a job interview, to a colleague staying late, to someone who is ill, or to yourself on a hard day. It turns up on LINE stickers, on handwritten signs at fun runs, and at the end of messages with a fist emoji. It is warm and casual, like a pat on the shoulder, so no ครับ or ค่ะ is needed. Younger Thais also borrow ไฟต์ติ้ง 'fighting!' from Korean dramas. The spirit is simple: whatever is hard right now, someone is on your side. A smile and ขอบคุณ is the perfect reply.