拉力 (lā lì) — tensile force, pulling power (of a vehicle, ani… | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

tensile forcepulling power (of a vehicle, animal, or material)

Examples

拉力，。
Zhè liàng chē de lā lì hěn qiáng, néng lā hěn zhòng de huò wù.
This car has strong pulling power and can tow very heavy cargo.
拉力。
Shéng zi de lā lì jué dìng le tā néng chéng shòu duō shǎo zhòng liàng.
The tensile force of the rope determines how much weight it can bear.
拉力。
Gōng chéng shī xū yào jì suàn cái liào suǒ néng chéng shòu de zuì dà lā lì.
Engineers need to calculate the maximum tensile force that the material can withstand.

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.

拉 (pulling) + 力 (force) names the strength that pulls.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

手手shǒuhand

Sound part声符shēngfú

立

立lì拉lā

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拉 pairs 手 (hand) with 立, a component that supplies the sound.

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.

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