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力度 (lì dù) — strength, force (of an action, policy, or effort); intensity, vigor (in doing something); (music) dynamics

Definition

力度 names the strength or intensity of an action, policy, or performance — abstract force, not a person's energy (that's 精力 or 活力). Pairs with 强度 for measurable/physical intensity, but 力度 is more figurative and is the musical term for 'dynamics'.

noun
strengthforce (of an action, policy, or effort)intensityvigor (in doing something)(music) dynamics
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 力度。
    Zhèng fǔ jué dìng jiā dà huán bǎo zhèng cè de lì dù.
    The government decided to increase the intensity of environmental policies.
  • ，。
    Tā de yǎn jiǎng hěn yǒu lì dù, dǎ dòng le suǒ yǒu tīng zhòng.
    His speech was very powerful and moved all the listeners.
  • 力度。
    Zhè shǒu gāng qín qǔ de lì dù biàn huà fēi cháng xì nì.
    The dynamics of this piano piece are very subtle.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

力lìforce
度dùdegree

力 (force) and 度 (degree) mean the degree of force or intensity.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

力 is drawn as either an arm bending out from the side of the body or a wooden plough.

Open 力 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
又又yòuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
石
石shí度dù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

度 has 又 (hand) and a changed form of 石; 石 gives a related sound, and the hand is tied to using the hand as a reference for measurement.

Open 度 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Abstract Concepts

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