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动力 (dòng lì) — (mechanical) power; motive force; (fig.) motivation; driving force; impetus

Definition

动力 covers both literal 'power/motive force' (e.g. an engine) and figurative 'driving force, motivation.' Compared with 动机 ('motive,' the inner reason behind an action), 动力 is the energy or push itself — what propels something forward.

noun
(mechanical) powermotive force(fig.) motivationdriving forceimpetus
Easily confused

Examples

  • 动力。
    Zhè tái fā dòng jī de dòng lì hěn qiáng.
    The power of this engine is very strong.
  • 动力。
    Nèi xīn de dòng lì shì tā bú duàn jìn bù de yuán yīn.
    The inner motivation is the reason he keeps improving.
  • 动力。
    Zhè ge zhèng cè chéng wéi jīng jì fā zhǎn de xīn dòng lì.
    This policy has become a new driving force for economic development.

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.

动dòngmoving
力lìforce

The first part means moving and the second means force, so the word is the force that drives movement.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 動; 动 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
力力lìstrength
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng動dòng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 動 uses 力 (strength) and 重 as a sound part; 重 refers to a heavy bag ready to be moved by a human. This note is about 動, not 动.

Open 动 →

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 →
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