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引力 (yǐn lì) — gravitation; gravitational attraction

Definition

Scientific term for gravity — the force that attracts objects with mass toward each other. In everyday contexts, 重力 is the more colloquial alternative.

noun
gravitationgravitational attraction

Examples

  • 引力。
    Dì qiú de yǐn lì ràng wù tǐ luò xiàng dì miàn.
    The Earth's gravity makes objects fall toward the ground.
  • 引力。
    Kē xué jiā zhèng zài yán jiū yuè qiú shàng de yǐn lì.
    Scientists are studying gravity on the moon.
  • 引力，。
    Méi yǒu yǐn lì, suǒ yǒu dōng xī dōu huì piāo qǐ lái.
    Without gravity, everything would float.

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.

引yǐnattract
力lìforce

“引” means to pull or attract and “力” means force, together naming attraction or gravitational force.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 弓弓gōngbow
  • 丿丿piěindicatory stroke

引 is made from 弓, a bow, and 丿, a short slant stroke added at the place where the string is pulled, marking the action of drawing or pulling.

Open 引 →

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 →
Appears in
Physics & Chemistry

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