自力 (zì lì) — to rely on oneself; self-reliant

Definition

自力 means 'relying on one's own strength' — a more formal, written expression than the everyday verb 靠 (kào, 'depend on'). It emphasizes self-effort and independence, often used in set phrases like 自力更生.

verb
to rely on oneselfself-reliant
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，自力。
    Tā cóng xiǎo jiù hěn dú lì, fán shì dōu kào zì lì.
    He has been very independent since childhood, relying on himself for everything.
  • 自力。
    zì lì Fèn dòu shì chéng gōng de bì jīng zhī lù.
    Struggling on one's own is the only way to success.
  • ，自力。
    Yù dào kùn nan shí, tā xuǎn zé zì lì jiě jué.
    When faced with difficulties, he chose to solve them on his own.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
主谓zhǔwèiSubject + predicate

A small sentence frozen into a word: something, and what it does or is.

自zìoneself
力lìexert strength

自 points to oneself, and 力 to exerting strength, giving reliance on oneself.

Characters in this word

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

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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