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阻力 (zǔ lì) — (physical) resistance, drag; (figurative) resistance, opposition

Definition

阻力 is a noun meaning 'resistance/drag' — the literal physics sense (空气阻力, wind drag) and the figurative sense of opposition encountered. Unlike 抵抗 or 抵制, which are active verbs meaning to resist, 阻力 names the force or obstacle itself.

noun
(physical) resistancedrag(figurative) resistanceopposition

Examples

  • 阻力。
    Shuǐ de zǔ lì hěn dà.
    Water resistance is very strong.
  • 阻力。
    Tā tí chū de fāng àn zāo dào le hěn dà zǔ lì.
    The plan he proposed encountered great resistance.
  • ，阻力。
    Qí chē shí, kōng qì zǔ lì huì jiǎn màn sù dù.
    When cycling, air resistance slows down the speed.

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.

阻zǔresistance
力lìforce

阻 means resistance and 力 means force, so 阻力 is the force that resists motion.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
阝Written in full as阜fù
Sound part声符shēngfú
且
且qiě阻zǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

阻 is built from 阝 (written in full as 阜) on the left and 且 on the right, which gives the sound.

Open 阻 →

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 7-9Conflict & AgreementPhysics & Chemistry

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