very highly motivated 怎么说?

Is it really that simple? I guess it could be. I think of enthusiasm and motivation as slightly different, but come to think about it，差不多.

Thanks Changye

Can't comment on the Chinese but I agree with you xiaophil when it comes to the English difference between enthusiasm and motivation. I think it's possible to be highly motivated to achieve some goal even though you may not be enthusiastic about what's involved in the journey [ a succeed at all costs type attitude]. But it certainly helps if you are enthusiastic also.

I would say "motivated" is very different than "excited." For example when my boss told me if I was late one more time I would be fired I was highly motivated, but hardly excited. nciku says 动机, and mandarin popup says 促动。Those look pretty good to me.

I don't know, orangina. I checked around a little. The examples for 动机 weren't all that convincing to me. They seemed more like 'motive' than 'motivation'. I couldn't find a decent example of 促动, but it seems to be more related to physics. I still think Changye's translation is best for most cases as we usually are motivated and enthusiastic at the same time.

Well I got the same as orangina...动机 with several trial sentences into a translator. Sure it seems to often mean motive rather than motivation but it seems it can also mean motivation or motivated. I think that motive is a little closer in meaning potentially than enthusiasm. You can certainly be enthusiastic about something without there being an element of motivation. Just think about when you're talking about your favourite rock band. Ok,you might find it gives you inspiration or helps your motivation with your own musical endeavours,but for most fans they just love their fav bands music for the enjoyment sake only. A kid can be enthusiastic about his upcoming trip to Disneyland without any motivation being involved [unless the trip is contingent on his school grades or behaviour or something,lol....but then he would be motivated to get good grades,hehe ]

Hi guys

Actually, you face the same problem when translating "motivated" into Japanese. "Motivated" is usually translated as "やる気がある" (= full of drive, be on it), while "politically motivated" should be translated as “政治的な動機を持つ” (have a political motivation) or something like that. FYI, "motivation" are "動機 (动机)”，“やる気”，and “意欲” in Japanese.

I think the same is true for Chinese. "Be highly motivated" can be simply translated as “很有积极性”, but "politically motivated" should be “具有政治动机” or something like that. There are also several counterparts of "motivation" in Chinese, such as “动机”， “动力”，“诱因”，“积极性”，“刺激” and “干劲”. You can select proper one on a case-by-case basis.

Hi zhenlijiang

How would you say that in English? I'm afraid I can't come up with an appropriate word and phrase to say that even in my native language. If I were 古舘 announcer, I would say, "見よ、あの悲壮感漂うまでの闘争心。お土産なしでは帰れない、待っているのはマンションか、はたまた凍て付くラーゲリか？", hehe.

wahahahaha, very good Changye! Those are the kind of sentiments I mean (even though ラーゲリ doesn't ring a bell for me ...).

In English I would say "the North Korean team is is very highly motivated", or "extremely motivated" or something like that, perhaps with italics; it would be ironic, and readers should understand that from context and background knowledge regarding life as a North Korean soldier / flagbearer.

OK maybe I'm asking for something that doesn't exist, esp if Chinese don't do irony.

How about "highly motivated, like it or not"?

How do you say that in Chinese?

I'm thinking over the different ways to express what I meant. The point, as you say, I guess is "lack of free will".

like it or not 不管愿不愿意