力

力 (radical 19, 力+0, 2 strokes, cangjie input 大尸 (KS), four-corner 4002₇, composition ⿻𠃌丿)

1. Kangxi radical #19, ⼒.

• Index:Chinese radical/力
• 男 另

• ㄌ

• カ (Japanese katakana)

• KangXi: page 146, character 5
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 2288
• Dae Jaweon: page 327, character 31
• Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 1, page 364, character 4
• Unihan data for U+529B

Historical forms of the character 力
Shang	Western Zhou	Spring and Autumn	Warring States			Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Oracle bone script	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Bronze inscriptions	Chu Slip and silk script	Qin slip script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Pictogram (象形) – alternative interpretation, either an arm bending out from the side of the body, or a plough.

力

1. force; strength; power

   力量  ―  lìliàng  ―  power

   攻擊力 / 攻击力  ―  gōngjīlì  ―  firepower

   • 她個子雖小但力大驚人。 [MSC, trad.]
     她个子虽小但力大惊人。 [MSC, simp.]

     Tā gèzǐ suī xiǎo dàn lì dà jīngrén. [Pinyin]

     For a small woman she has surprising strength.

2. power; energy

   汽力  ―  qìlì  ―  steam power

3. ability; capability

   能力  ―  nénglì  ―  ability

   • 他對古董很有鑑賞力。 [MSC, trad.]
     他对古董很有鉴赏力。 [MSC, simp.]

     Tā duì gǔdǒng hěn yǒu jiànshǎng lì. [Pinyin]

     He has an eye for antiques.

4. (physics) force

   • 這個力的方向與位移相同。 [MSC, trad.]
     这个力的方向与位移相同。 [MSC, simp.]

     Zhè ge lì de fāngxiàng yǔ wèiyí xiāngtóng. [Pinyin]

     This force is the same direction as the displacement.

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

1. power, force, strength

• Go-on: りき (riki, Jōyō)
• Kan-on: りょく (ryoku, Jōyō)
• Kun: ちから (chikara, 力, Jōyō); りきむ (rikimu, 力む)
• Nanori: いさお (isao); いさむ (isamu); お (o); か (ka); ちか (chika); ちから (chikara); じから (jikara); つとむ (tsutomu); よし (yoshi)

From Old Japanese. Compound of Old Japanese elements 霊 (chi, “power, life force, essence”) +‎ から (kara, “from”).

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) ちから​ [chìkáráꜜ] (Odaka – [3])[1][2]
  • IPA^(key): [t͡ɕi̥ka̠ɾa̠]

力 (hiragana ちから, rōmaji chikara)

1. strength; power; force
2. (physics) force
3. ability; capacity
4. effort
5. (tarot): Strength

力 (hiragana ちから, rōmaji Chikara)

1. A male given name

From Middle Chinese 力 (lik). The goon reading, so likely the initial borrowing. Compare modern Cantonese reading lik⁶.

• On’yomi: Goon
  • (Tokyo) り​き [ríꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1])[2]
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲikʲi]

力 (hiragana りき, rōmaji riki)

1. power, strength

   力 (りき)学 (がく)、力 (りき)士 (し)、二 (に)馬 (ば)力 (りき)

   rikigaku, rikishi, nibariki

   “power studies” (dynamics), “strength person” (sumo wrestler), two horsepower

力 (hiragana りき, rōmaji riki)

1. physical strength
2. (Buddhism) capability, especially mystical power
3. (Buddhism) the suchness of ability, one of the Ten Suchnesses in Mahayana Buddhism
4. short for 力者 (rikisha): a strong person
5. (archaic) short for 車力 (shariki), 力車 (rikisha): a rickshaw
6. (archaic) a rickshaw operator's wages

From Middle Chinese 力, but apparently from a different source dialect or at a different time than 力 (lik). The kan'on reading, so likely a later borrowing. Compare reconstructed Middle Chinese reading /li̯ək/ or Korean reading ryeok.

Only found in compounds and idioms in modern Japanese.

• On’yomi: Kan’on
  • IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞kɯ̟ᵝ]

力 (hiragana りょく, rōmaji ryoku)

1. strength, power

   力 (りょく)争 (そう)、権 (けん)力 (りょく)

   ryokusō, kenryoku

   “strength struggle” (a hard fight), “right power” (authority)

力 • (ryeok) (hangeul 력)

1. strength, power

力 • (ryeok) (hangeul 력, McCune–Reischauer ryŏk)

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

• 魔力 마력 (maryeok)

力: Hán Việt readings: lực (林(lâm)直(trực)切(thiết))[1][2][3]
力: Nôm readings: sức[1][3][4], lực[2][3], sực[3][4], sựt[3][4], rực[1]

1. Hán tự form of lực (“physical force”).
2. Nôm form of sức (“strength; power”).