力

• Pinyin: lì
• Hanzi breakdown: 力 = pictograph of a plough or a flexed arm, representing physical effort and strength

Meaning

Strength; power; force. The fundamental word for physical or abstract strength.

A highly versatile character that appears in dozens of compounds: 力量 (strength), 努力 (effort), 能力 (ability), 力气 (physical strength), 压力 (pressure), 动力 (motivation). On its own, 力 refers to force or power in general. In everyday speech, 力气 is more common for physical strength, while 力 alone is used in more literary or compound contexts.

Examples

1. 他的力真大，一个人就搬动了那张桌子。 He's really strong — he moved that table all by himself.
2. 小孩子力不够，需要大人帮忙。 Children aren't strong enough — they need adults to help.
3. 他用了很大的力才把瓶盖拧开。 He used a great deal of force to twist open the bottle cap.

Usage Guide

Context: physical strength, abstract power, compounds

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他力气很大，一个人就能搬那张桌子。(He's very strong — he can move that table by himself.)
• 我们要用自己的力改变生活。(We must use our own strength to change our lives.)

Don't Say

• 我的力很累。(力 cannot be tired — say 我没力气了 for I'm out of strength or 我很累 for I'm tired.)

Origin & History

A pictograph of a plough or a muscular arm exerting effort. One of the oldest Chinese characters, representing the concept of physical force.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal