力

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

1. Kangxi radical #19, ⼒.

• Appendix:Chinese radical/力
• 仂, 伤, 𭂇, 㔹, 叻, 㘦, 㘯, 𭒹, 𡯄, 𡴽, 幼, 忇, 扐, 氻, 𤜜, 阞, 边, 攰, 𰃌, 㫑, 朸, 𣦺, 牞, 玏, 肋, 𥘋, 㽖, 糼, 𦔳, 𦘓, 𬜑, 𧖩, 助, 𡖎, 㱝, 𪵶, 觔, 𧲡, 𧴧, 赲, 𧾼, 䡃, 䣦, 釛, 飭(饬), 𩖙, 𤟋, 䯇, 𩱹, 𭱛, 𬂿, 𬈆, 𩵓, 鳨, 𫜋, 𪋾, 𣾗, 𢣛
• 𬩳, 𫻧, 𣂒, 𭤧, 历, 另, 夯, 屴, 𢆲, 艻, 𪭊, 男, 穷, 竻, 虏, 𩫸, 𪧔, 𩾜, 𣪤, 𤼶, 𡉂, 𢖰, 𤰛, 𧴥, 𬮅, 为, 辦, 𫝓, 䏮, 朂, 䇟

• ㄌ

• カ (Japanese katakana)

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

• Unihan data for U+F98A

Pictogram (象形) – alternative interpretation, either an arm bending out from the side of the body, or a wooden plough. The original version was 𠠲 and the letter ㄌ in zhuyin alphabet was inspired by this character.

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k-ra (“strength; to win; classifier for people”) + *-k (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007). Cognate with Burmese အား (a:, “strength; force”); Proto-Loloish *ra² (“strength”), whence Nuosu ꊋ (we); Panyi Bai [script needed] (ɣɯ̱⁴², “strength”); Central Bai hhep (“strength”). A causative derivative is 飭 (OC rhək) (Schuessler, 2007).

Schuessler (2007) also suggests an etymological connection with 來 (OC *m·rɯːɡ, “to come”).

力

1. physical strength; physical power; energy

   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. force; strength; power

   汽力  ―  qìlì  ―  steam power

   藥力／药力  ―  yàolì  ―  efficacy of a drug

   力量  ―  lìliàng  ―  power

   攻擊力／攻击力  ―  gōngjīlì  ―  firepower

3. (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.

4. 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.

5. power and influence; might
6. (literary) to make an effort; to strive; to endeavor; to work hard
7. with all one's might; doing all in one's power

   力爭／力争  ―  lìzhēng  ―  to work hard for

   力挽狂瀾／力挽狂澜  ―  lìwǎnkuánglán  ―  to do one's utmost to save a desperate situation

8. a surname: Li

• (physical strength):

• (ability):

• (function):

• (to make an effort):

Others:

• → Proto-Vietic: *k-rək
  • Muong: khấc
  • Vietnamese: sức

• “力”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

(First grade 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)、つとめる (tsutomeru, 力める)
• 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, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *tikara. Compound of Old Japanese elements 霊 (chi, “power, life force, essence”) +‎ 柄 (kara, “source, origin”).

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

力(ちから) • (chikara) 

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

力(ちから) • (Chikara) 

1. a male given name
2. a surname

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

• (Tokyo) りき [ríꜜkì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɾʲikʲi]

力(りき) • (riki) 

1. power, strength

   力(りき)学(がく)、力(りき)士(し)、二馬(にば)力(りき)

   rikigaku, rikishi, nibariki

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

力(りき) • (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 (lì), 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.

• IPA^(key): [ɾʲo̞kɯ̟]

力(りょく) • (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)

From Middle Chinese 力 (MC lik). Perhaps more specifically from Late Middle Chinese 力 (LMC *liə̌k).

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɾjʌ̹k̚] ~ [jʌ̹k̚]
• Phonetic hangul: [력/역]

Wikisource

力 (eumhun 힘 력 (him ryeok), word-initial (South Korea) 힘 역 (him yeok))

1. hanja form^? of 력/역 (“power; force”) [affix]

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

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