Meaning of 力
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- power
- force
- strength
- ability
- strenuously
- surname Li
How to use 力
力 rarely stands alone in speech. It usually works as a suffix that turns a word into a kind of power or ability, as in 能力 (nénglì, ability), 压力 (yālì, pressure) and 动力 (dònglì, motivation). Example: 我最近工作压力很大。(Wǒ zuìjìn gōngzuò yālì hěn dà.) I have been under a lot of work pressure lately.
力 (lì) looks like a flexed arm with a strong hand pushing down, or a plow digging into the ground. Picture someone straining with effort and you have "power" and "strength."
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 力 (lì) with 刀 (dāo, knife), which looks similar. In 力 the stroke crosses above the hook, while 刀 has no crossing stroke. Also keep the fourth tone in 努力 (nǔlì) and do not let it go neutral.
力 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
力 lì · power · 2 strokes
- 1
- 2
Related words
Words that share a character with 力.
| 努力 | nǔlì | to make an effort; to try hard; to strive; hard-working; conscientious |
| 力量 | lìliàng | power; force; strength |
| 能力 | nénglì | capability; ability |
| 压力 | yālì | pressure |
| 动力 | dònglì | motive power; (fig.) motivation; impetus |
| 实力 | shílì | strength |
| 听力 | tīnglì | hearing; listening ability |
| 巧克力 | qiǎokèlì | (loanword) chocolate |
| 尽力 | jìnlì | to strive one's hardest; to spare no effort |
| 力气 | lìqi | physical strength |
| 精力 | jīnglì | energy (physical or mental) |
| 智力 | zhìlì | intelligence; intellect |
Questions about 力
What does 力 mean?
力 (lì) means "power; force" and is used as a noun and suffix.
How do you write 力?
力 is made of 1 character: 力 (2 strokes). That is 2 strokes in total.
Is 力 an HSK word?
Yes. 力 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I say 我有很多力 to mean I am strong?
Not naturally. Use 力气 (lìqi) for physical strength, as in 他力气很大 (tā lìqi hěn dà, he is very strong). 力量 (lìliàng) fits more abstract or formal strength.
What is the difference between 能力 and 实力?
能力 (nénglì) is the general ability to do something, like language or work skills. 实力 (shílì) means real, proven strength, often used for teams, companies or countries competing with others.