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

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.

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