Meet 力 in words about strength and cooperation. The examples connect each reading to a useful everyday context.

The idea

力 has 2 strokes; follow their order in the linked diagram. Read 力（ちから） and 体力（たいりょく） as complete words, because a character’s pronunciation depends on the word.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
力ちからMy younger sister is very strong.
体力たいりょくI build up my physical strength every day.
協力きょうりょくI make it in cooperation with a friend.
風の力かぜのちからThe wind’s power moves the boat.

Examples

  • その荷物にもつは重おもいので、力ちからを貸かしてください。That luggage is heavy, so please give me a hand.
  • 妹いもうとはとても力ちからがあります。My younger sister is very strong.
  • みんなで力ちからを合あわせます。We all join forces.
  • 風かぜの力ちからで船ふねが動うごきます。The wind’s power moves the boat.
  • 毎日まいにち体力たいりょくをつけます。I build up my physical strength every day.
  • 友達ともだちと協力きょうりょくして作つくります。I make it in cooperation with a friend.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

力（ちから） is strength, while the compound 協力（きょうりょく） means cooperation. Do not confuse 力 with katakana カ. Compare the shape of 力 with カ.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 力 in hiragana. 「妹いもうとはとても力があります。」

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    ちから

    力 is read ちから. In the example: My younger sister is very strong. Here it means “strength”.

  2. Write the reading of 体力 in hiragana. 「毎日まいにち体力をつけます。」

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    たいりょく

    体力 is read たいりょく. In the example: I build up my physical strength every day. Here it means “physical strength”.

  3. Write the missing kanji: ＿［力／カ］（ちから）.

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    力

    力 completes 力, read ちから. In the example: My younger sister is very strong. Here it means “strength”.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 力 from memory and read 力 and 体力 aloud. Then check the readings against the examples.