软实力 (ruǎn shí lì) — soft power (in international relations)

Definition

软实力 means 'soft power' — the cultural, ideological, or diplomatic influence a country projects. It's the intangible counterpart to general 实力 ('actual strength/capability').

noun
soft power (in international relations)

Examples

  • 软实力。
    Fā zhǎn wén huà chǎn yè shì tí shēng ruǎn shí lì de zhòng yào tú jìng.
    Developing the cultural industry is an important way to enhance soft power.
  • 软实力。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de ruǎn shí lì zhǔ yào lái zì tā de yǔ yán hé diàn yǐng.
    This country's soft power mainly comes from its language and movies.
  • 软实力。
    Guó jì jiāo liú yǒu zhù yú zēng jiā yí gè guó jiā de ruǎn shí lì.
    International exchanges help increase a country's soft power.

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.

软ruǎnsoft
实力real power
实shíreal力lìpower
偏正Modifier + head

软 (soft) + 实力 (real power): power that works through attraction rather than 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 軟; 软 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
車車jūcarriage
Sound part声符shēngfú
耎
耎ruǎn軟ruǎn
Same sound today

The traditional form 軟 pairs 車 (carriage) with 耎 as a sound part; 耎 depicted a man under rain, and simplified 软 uses a later right side instead of 耎.

Open 软 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9International & DiplomacyGovernment & Politics

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.