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热力 (rè lì) — heating power (in engineering); thermodynamics (in physics)

Definition

热力 is the technical physics/engineering term for 'heat' as energy — used in 物理学 (thermodynamics) and 机械/工程 contexts (heating power), not in daily life for warmth or hot weather.

noun
heating power (in engineering)thermodynamics (in physics)

Examples

  • 热力。
    Zhè zhǒng xīn cái liào de rè lì xiào lǜ fēi cháng gāo.
    The heating power efficiency of this new material is very high.
  • 热力。
    rè lì Shì wù lǐ xué zhōng yán jiū rè néng zhuǎn huà de xué kē.
    Thermodynamics is the branch of physics that studies the conversion of thermal energy.
  • 热力。
    Qì chē de rè lì xì tǒng xū yào dìng qī jiǎn chá.
    The car's heating power system needs regular inspection.

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.

热rèheat
力lìpower

The 力 (power) related to 热 (heat).

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 熱; 热 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
灬Written in full as火huǒfire
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì熱rè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 熱 pairs 埶 with 火 (written as 灬) to show heat, while 埶 gives a sound.

Open 热 →

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
Energy & PowerPhysics & Chemistry

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