重力

• Reading: じゅうりょく
• Romaji: juuryoku
• Kanji breakdown: 重 (juu) — heavy, weight; 力 (ryoku) — force, power
• Pronunciation: /dʑɯː.ɾʲo.kɯ/

Meaning

Gravity; gravitational force. The force that pulls objects toward the centre of a celestial body.

A physics noun used in both scientific and everyday contexts. Distinguished from 引力 (inryoku, attraction/gravitational pull), which is broader — 重力 specifically refers to the gravitational force experienced on or near a celestial body. Common collocations include 無重力 (mujuuryoku, zero gravity/weightlessness), 重力加速度 (juuryoku kasokudo, gravitational acceleration), and 重力に逆らう (juuryoku ni sakarau, to defy gravity).

Examples

1. 宇宙ステーションでは無重力の環境で実験が行われる。 Experiments are conducted in a zero-gravity environment on the space station.
2. 月の重力は地球の約六分の一だ。 The gravity of the moon is about one-sixth that of Earth.
3. りんごが木から落ちるのは重力のおかげだ。 It is because of gravity that an apple falls from a tree.

Usage Guide

Context: physics, space, education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 重 (juu, heavy/weight) + 力 (ryoku, force/power). Literally 'weight force' — the force responsible for giving things weight by pulling them toward a massive body.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal