能力

• Reading: のうりょく
• Romaji: nouryoku
• Kanji breakdown: 能 (nou) — ability, talent, skill; 力 (ryoku) — power, force
• Pronunciation: /noː.ɾʲo.kɯ/

Meaning

Ability; capability; faculty. The power or skill to do something.

A noun used for both innate talent and developed skills. Commonly seen in compound phrases like 能力試験 (proficiency test) — as in the JLPT (日本語能力試験). More formal than 力 (chikara, strength/power) when describing professional or academic abilities.

Examples

1. 彼女は語学の能力が高い。 She has a high ability in languages.
2. 日本語能力試験を受ける予定です。 I plan to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test.
3. この仕事にはコミュニケーション能力が必要です。 This job requires communication skills.

Usage Guide

Context: education, workplace evaluations, self-improvement

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 能 (nou, ability/talent) and 力 (ryoku, power/force). Both kanji relate to capability, combining to express one's overall competence.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal