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力

力 (lì) Chinese Character: strength, force

2 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 力

Pull the hooked stroke with strength.

Practice 力 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: Strength and Force

力 (lì) means “strength” or “force.” Imagine pulling the hooked stroke with your whole body. It is also a common component in characters connected with effort, work, and physical power.

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

用力
用use力force=use force or make an effort
大力
大great力effort or force=with great effort; vigorously

Chinese character origin and etymology

Early forms are commonly linked with physical force or a bent working tool; the character came to mean strength and effort.

A bent stroke and sweeping hook create a compact, powerful form. 力 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

力 is written with 2 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 力 — strength, force — a basic form used as one complete character

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 力 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

他很有力。 Tā hěn yǒulì. He is very strong.
请用力开门。 Qǐng yònglì kāi mén. Please use some force to open the door.
学习需要努力。 Xuéxí xūyào nǔlì. Learning requires effort.

Learning tips for 力

Learn the reading as one unit: lì, with the fourth tone: a sharp fall. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “strength, force,” and write the 2 strokes from memory.

Because 力 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 手 (shǒu, hand); 大 (dà, big, large). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 力 without pinyin?
  • Can you say lì with the correct tone and explain “strength, force”?
  • Can you write all 2 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 力 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.