冲力 (chōng lì) — impulsive force (physics); momentum (also figurative)

Definition

A physics term for impulsive force, and by extension the figurative 'momentum' of a movement, reform, or trend. Use the concrete physics sense in scientific writing; the figurative sense is common in journalism about change or progress.

noun
impulsive force (physics)momentum (also figurative)

Examples

  • 冲力。
    Zhè ge shí yàn kě yǐ cè liáng wù tǐ shòu dào de chōng lì.
    This experiment can measure the impulsive force acting on an object.
  • 冲力。
    Gǎi gé xū yào zú gòu de chōng lì cái néng chí xù xià qù.
    Reform needs sufficient momentum to continue.
  • 冲力，。
    Qì chē xià pō shí chōng lì hěn dà, yào xiǎo xīn shā chē.
    When a car goes downhill, the momentum is great; be careful with the brakes.

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.

冲chōngdash
力lìforce

冲 denotes dashing and 力 denotes force, giving impulsive force.

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 衝; 冲 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 冲 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (冲, 冲动) it is 衝; in others (冲) it is 沖.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
行行xíng
Sound part声符shēngfú
重
重zhòng衝chōng
Same sound today

The traditional form 衝 shows 重 inside 行, with 行 as the meaning part and 重 as the sound part; the simplified 冲 is a later shorthand.

Open 冲 →

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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