力りょく

Meanings

Suffix attached to nouns to indicate the strength, power, or ability related to that noun. Common in compounds such as 体力 (physical strength), 学力 (academic ability), 経済力 (economic power).

彼かれは語ご学がく力りょくが高たかい。
He has high language proficiency.
この仕し事ごとには集しゅう中ちゅう力りょくが必ひつ要ようだ。
This job requires the ability to concentrate.

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉力りょくがあるto have ability/proficiency in a given area
彼かの女じょは語ご学がく力りょくがある。
She has strong language ability.
〈事こと〉力りょくを身みにつけるto acquire a certain ability or skill
留りゅう学がくして実じっ践せん力りょくを身みにつけた。
I studied abroad and gained practical skills.
〈事こと〉力りょくを高たかめるto improve a certain ability or capacity
読どく書しょは思し考こう力りょくを高たかめる。
Reading improves one's thinking ability.

Expressions

助じょ力りょくによってwith (someone's) help
圧あつ力りょくをかけるapply pressure; put pressure on; lean on
記き憶おく力りょくのいいhaving a good memory

Kanji

力power, strength, strong

Don't confuse with

力ちからN4
力 (りょく) is a suffix attached to nouns to name a specific ability or capacity (体力, 学力), while 力 (ちから) is the standalone noun for physical strength or power in general.

Word family· 328

協きょう力りょくN3
cooperation; collaboration; help; support
能のう力りょくN3
ability; capability; faculty
努ど力りょくN3
effort; hard work; endeavor
魅み力りょくN3
charm; attraction; appeal
入にゅう力りょくN4
input; data entry; typing

Show 25 more

暴ぼう力りょくN2
violence; physical force
電でん力りょくN2
electric power; electrical energy
全ぜん力りょくN1
all one's power; utmost effort; full strength
強きょう力りょくN3
powerful; strong
権けん力りょくN2
power; authority; influence
勢せい力りょくN1
influence; power; force · influence (of stones in Go)
出しゅつ力りょくN1
output
体たい力りょくN2
physical strength; stamina; endurance · strength (of a business, economy, etc.)
圧あつ力りょくN1
pressure (physical) · pressure (social/political); coercion
実じつ力りょくN3
real ability; true strength; competence · force; arms; military power
原げん子し力りょくN1
atomic energy; nuclear power
重じゅう力りょくN2
gravity; gravitation; gravitational pull
火か力りょくN1
heating power; thermal power · firepower
戦せん力りょくN1
war potential; military strength; fighting power · competitive ability; capabilities; valuable asset
有ゆう力りょくN2
influential; prominent; leading · strong; promising; likely; convincing
威い力りょくN1
power; might; force; authority; influence
迫はく力りょくN1
powerful impact; forcefulness; intensity
視し力りょくN1
eyesight; vision; visual acuity
魔ま力りょく
magical power; supernatural power; spell; charm
主しゅ力りょく
main force; core strength · main effort; primary focus
学がく力りょくN2
academic ability; scholastic achievement
武ぶ力りょくN1
military power; armed force
気き力りょくN1
willpower; energy; vitality
無む力りょくN1
powerless; helpless; ineffective
労ろう力りょくN1
labor; effort; toil

See all 328 in Explore →

Etymology

The suffix 力 (りょく) is derived from the noun 力 (ちから/りょく), meaning 'strength' or 'power'. It is used productively in modern Japanese to form compound nouns expressing ability or capacity.