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

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 wooden plough.

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) (Shcuessler, 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)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

(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); 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): [ɾʲo̞kɯ̟ᵝ]

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), 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.

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”).