Why Does XOXO Mean Kisses and Hugs?

Whether you end a letter or e-mail with it—or you recognize it from the end of each Gossip Girl episode—“Xoxo” is commonly known to refer to the phrase “Kisses and hugs.” But how did these two inconspicuous letters come to represent that well-known phrase?

不管您是寫信或郵件時結尾，還是在《緋聞女孩》每一集結束時看到，您都知道“XOXO”是表示“親吻和擁抱”的短語。但為什么這兩個不起眼的字母會表示親吻和擁抱呢？

One possible explanation is that an “X” is a stylized representation of two mouths kissing, while the “O” represents two pairs of arms coming together to complete a hug. This emoticon-inspired account makes sense, but the true explanations are more likely rooted in religious history.

 一種解釋是，“X”表示正在親吻的雙嘴，而“O”則代表擁抱在一起的兩對手臂。這種表情符號式的解釋說得通，但真正的原因更可能是來自宗教歷史。

Because many people in the Middle Ages could not read or write, they would sign important documents with an “X, ” which was both a simple mark to make and a reference to the Christian cross. The signee would then kiss the “X” to demonstrate his sincerity and that what was written in the document was true—in much the same way that Christians kissed the Bible to display their belief in Christ. Besides referencing the actual cross itself, the “X” alluded to the early Christian symbol called the Chi-rho—named after combining the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ.

  中世紀時，很多人不會讀不會寫，所以他們在簽署重要文件時會使用“X”，這里的 X 既簡單易寫又表示基督教十字架。然后簽署人會親吻“X”，表明他的真心誠意以及文件內容的真實性。這跟基督教徒親吻《圣經》以表達他們對基督的信仰幾乎是一樣的。除了表示實際的十字架，“X”在早期基督教符號中被稱為 Chi-rho，其得名是合并希臘語中表示基督的單詞ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ的前兩個字母。

Tracing the origin of how the “O” came to represent a hug is more difficult. One possible explanation is that Jewish immigrants, upon arriving in the U.S., used the symbol in place of a signature, similar to the way the “X” was used by Christians. Instead of using an “X, ” which invoked Christ—a figure that did not align with Jewish beliefs—illiterate Jewish people arriving in the U.S. would sign documents with an “O.”

    追溯為何“O”表示擁抱更困難。一種解釋是，與基督教徒使用“X”類似，猶太移民來到美國后使用該符號簽名。不會讀寫的猶太人不用“X”，是因為 X 會讓人想到基督，而基督與猶太人的信仰不一致。所以他們簽署文件時用“O”。

Combined with the familiar Christian use of an “X” signifying the oath sealed with a kiss, the “O” was likely then adapted to mean hugs as an equal representation in the sincerity of the sentiment on notes, letters, or even e-mails.

  就像基督教徒用“X”加親吻起誓，“O”隨后也被用來表示擁抱，其在記錄、信件、甚至電子郵件上代表相同的真心誠意。