力 — how to write the kanji for “power”
力 means “power”, “strength” and “strong”; it is a JLPT N4 kanji, taught in first grade in Japan. In newspapers it is one of the hundred most used kanji (62nd). As one of the 214 traditional radicals it heads 81 kanji in KANJIDIC2. On its own it is the word chikara, “force; strength”. Its common words take the reading ryoku: 努力 (“effort”), 勢力 (“influence”), 協力 (“cooperation”) and 実力 (“(real) ability”). Chinese reads it lì, “power”, at HSK 3.
- Strokes
- 2
- JLPT
- N4
- Radical
- 力 (“power”)
- On
- リョク, リキ, リイ
- Kun
- ちから
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- Horizontal-turn-hook ㇆top leftrightwards → downwards
- Left-falling stroke ㇒topdown and left
Japanese and Chinese
Japanese and Chinese draw all 2 strokes in the same order and direction, by our stroke-by-stroke comparison.
Under the radical 力
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Readings
- On (Chinese-derived)
- リョク ryoku, リキ riki, リイ rii (rare)
- Kun (native)
- ちから chikara
- Meanings
- power; strength; strong; strain; bear up; exert
- Read ryoku
- 努力 勢力 協力 実力 有力 権力
- School year
- first grade
- Newspaper rank
- 62nd of 2,500 (KANJIDIC2)
- Korean hanja
- 력 ryeok
- Common words
- 97 in JMdict
Words with 力
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 努力 | どりょく doryoku | effort; exertion |
| 勢力 | せいりょく seiryoku | influence; power |
| 協力 | きょうりょく kyouryoku | cooperation; collaboration |
| 実力 | じつりょく jitsuryoku | (real) ability; true strength |
| 有力 | ゆうりょく yuuryoku | influential; prominent |
| 権力 | けんりょく kenryoku | (political) power; authority |
| 武力 | ぶりょく buryoku | armed might; military power |
| 能力 | のうりょく nouryoku | ability; faculty |
| 原子力 | げんしりょく genshiryoku | atomic energy; nuclear power |
| 暴力団 | ぼうりょくだん bouryokudan | bōryokudan; gangster organization (organisation) |
Most common first (JMdict).
Practice sheet
Print at 100%. Several kanji: worksheet maker.
Keep going
JLPT N4, in list order: