"Sick" started being used as a positive term in the 1980s and 1990s, especially within skateboarding, snowboarding, and other extreme sports communities. For these athletes, landing a difficult trick or achieving something impressive often led to exclamations like "That was sick!"—emphasizing awe and respect rather than illness. It became a way to describe something that pushed the boundaries of what people thought was possible, elevating the term with a rebellious, edgy connotation.
The positive use of "sick" later spread through hip-hop culture and music, where it was used to describe impressive lyrics, beats, or performances. By the 2000s, it became common in youth culture and everyday language as a way to describe anything “awesome” or “cool,” from fashion to new technology. Today, "sick" is widely understood in its dual meaning—both literally as “ill” and as a positive slang term.
高手来解释一下这个sick
谢谢。
https://m.sohu.com/a/363882280_778597/?pvid=000115_3w_a#:~:text=%E5%9C%A8%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%BD%E4%BF%9A%E8%AF%AD%E4%B8%AD%EF%BC%8Csick,%E7%9A%84%EF%BC%8C%E6%A3%92%E6%A3%92%E7%9A%84%E6%84%8F%E6%80%9D%E3%80%82
"Sick" started being used as a positive term in the 1980s and 1990s, especially within skateboarding, snowboarding, and other extreme sports communities. For these athletes, landing a difficult trick or achieving something impressive often led to exclamations like "That was sick!"—emphasizing awe and respect rather than illness. It became a way to describe something that pushed the boundaries of what people thought was possible, elevating the term with a rebellious, edgy connotation.
The positive use of "sick" later spread through hip-hop culture and music, where it was used to describe impressive lyrics, beats, or performances. By the 2000s, it became common in youth culture and everyday language as a way to describe anything “awesome” or “cool,” from fashion to new technology. Today, "sick" is widely understood in its dual meaning—both literally as “ill” and as a positive slang term.
In front of Doe library yesterday
Happy teenagers who were in a singing group and waiting for a photo session. Pic taken with permission
倒是查到了：
Adjective [edit]ballin' (not comparable)
(African-American Vernacular, MLE, slang) Having an ostentatiously wealthy lifestyle."Ballin'" 是美国俚语，最早源于篮球界，意思是像篮球明星一样过着奢华或高调的生活。现在，它更多用于形容过得非常成功、享受生活或者有钱、物质生活丰富的人。比如一个人开豪车、住豪宅，别人可能会说他“ballin'”。
https://www.dictionary.com/e/gnarly-nasty-sick-synonyms/