You can blow everyone away.

[sitifan]

Believe in yourself. You can blow everyone away. (Kangxuan, Book 6, p51)

blow someone away

1. to surprise or please someone very much: 2. to kill a person by shooting…

dictionary.cambridge.org

According to the above link, "to blow someone away" can mean either "to surprise someone very much" or "to defeat a competitor completely." Which do native speakers think "blow everyone away" mean" in the quotation?

 

[5jj]

In what context?

 

[sitifan]

In what context?

1:00 - 1:29
Q: What might Rita say to Rick during practice?
A: Believe in yourself. You can blow everyone away.

 

[jutfrank]

Believe in yourself. You can blow everyone away. (Kangxuan, Book 6, p51)

That seems to be a translation from Chinese. If so, if you find the original quotation, you'll understand what it means.

Q: What might Rita say to Rick during practice?
A: Believe in yourself. You can blow everyone away.

Your question doesn't seem to make any sense. He doesn't say that in the video you linked.

Obviously, if he were to use blow everyone away in that context, the meaning would be 'defeat a competitor'. That's the whole reason you chose this context, isn't it!

Have I misunderstood something?

 

[sitifan]

That looks as if it's a translation from Chinese. If so, find the original Chinese quotation and you'll understand what it means.

It's not a translation from Chinese. It's quoted from an English textbook published in Taiwan.

 

[jutfrank]

Please give us more context, then.

 

[sitifan]

To Rita:
We were in the eighth grade, and Allan hurt his neck before the running race. The other classmates didn't think I could take Allan's place, but you told them that I could. What's more, you always cheered me up during practice. Thanks to you, we won first prize., and our class grew closer together. What a lovely memory!
Nick
-------------------------
Reading Comprehension
1. According to the reading, what might Rita say to Rick during practice?
(A) Please join us and be our leader.
(B) You jump really high. You can win the race.
(C) Please don't give up on us. We'll do our best.
(D) Believe in yourself. You can blow everyone away.
The answer is option D.

 

[jutfrank]

Given the context of a running race, then, which sense of blow everyone away do you think is being used?

 

[sitifan]

Given the context of a running race, then, which sense of blow everyone away do you think is being used?

Do you think it means "to defeat a competitor completely"?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes. They're talking about winning a race.

 

[Tarheel]

@sitifan I suggest that you just say "race". (I have never seen the term "running race" until just now.) While it is true that the terms "horse race" and "automobile race" exist, they are used, no doubt, to distinguish them from the somewhat similar contest that is almost always either "race" or "foot race".

 

[Rover_KE]

It’s not a common saying in English. Don’t try and use it yourself or you’ll risk being misunderstood.

 

[emsr2d2]

I find it common enough but I'd only use it to mean "surprise greatly". If I were talking about someone beating someone else by a great margin, I might use "blew them out of the water".