Cho Le! How a Chinese Phrase has Transcended into an indispensable Table Tennis Mantra

My Khel Spaces

In the high-octane world of table tennis, where every flick of the wrist can swing a match, players worldwide echo the rallying cry of 'Cho Le!'

As the WTT Feeder Tournament commences in Vadodara after

the WTT Youth Contender, the verse has been reverberating all across the Sama Sports Complex in Vadodara.

The Chinese-originated exclamation has transcended borders, symbolizing resilience and hunger for the next point, much like a battle chant in a gladiatorial arena.

The Origins of Cho Le

'Cho Le' stems from Chinese table tennis culture, likely a phonetic shorthand for "Hao Qiu Le," translating to "good ball again" or "one more shot. "

Chinese Table Tennis players popularized it as a self-motivational shout after winning crucial points, blending "Cho" (good shot) with "Le" (again), and the world adopted it as its own in the Table Tennis arena.

Over decades, it evolved into a global phenomenon, with variations like "Ho" or "Sho" adopted by non-Chinese athletes, turning it into table tennis's universal "come on!"

Cultural Significance

Beyond words, 'Cho Le' serves as psychological armour. It releases tension, sharpens focus, and disrupts opponents' rhythm, embodying the sport's mental chess match. Adopted across languages-from French "Allez" to Timo Boll's "Ca c'est ca"-it fosters camaraderie, uniting players in a shared ritual that amplifies adrenaline during deuce battles or game-setters.

At the ongoing WTT Vadodara Feeder Series (January 7-11, 2026), young Indian contenders like Syndrela Das and Divyanshi Bhowmick have fully embraced "Cho Le," mirroring their counterparts.

MyKhel talked with a promising player Sarthak Arya, whose 'Cho Le' exclamation after each point was reaching the roof. It was so robust that once the umpire even told him to notch his voice down a little.

"I scream because it helps me calm down. Sometimes under pressure, I shout so I can remain focused. I can say to myself that 'I am in the match'. I keep reminding myself that I have to fight and let the opponent know that as well," Arya told.

As WTT events proliferate, 'Choi Le', the decades-old phrase, continues to spread across the globe as an indispensable part of Table Tennis.