约束力 (yuē shù lì) — binding force, binding effect (of a contract, law, moral obligation, etc.)

Definition

A formal, written noun meaning the legal or moral force that makes a contract, rule, or promise actually hold people accountable — not physical restraint.

noun
binding forcebinding effect (of a contract, law, moral obligation, etc.)

Examples

  • 约束力。
    Zhè fèn hé tong jù yǒu fǎ lǜ yuē shù lì.
    This contract has legal binding force.
  • 约束力。
    Guó jì tiáo yuē de yuē shù lì wǎng wǎng shòu dào gè guó zhèng zhì de yǐng xiǎng.
    The binding force of international treaties is often affected by the politics of each country.
  • 约束力，。
    Dào dé yuē shù lì suī rán wú xíng, dàn zài shè huì zhōng qǐ zhe zhòng yào zuò yòng.
    Moral binding force, though invisible, plays an important role in society.

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.

约束constrain
约yuēbind束shùbind
联合Side by side
力lìforce

约束 (constrain) and 力 (force) combine to mean the force that binds or constrains.

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 約; 约 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
勺
勺sháo約yuē
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 約 uses 糸, a rope, for its meaning and 勺 for its sound; the simplified 约 is a later shorthand.

Open 约 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

The shape of 束 comes from a drawing of a bag tied at both ends.

Open 束 →

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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