The Japanese Radical: 力


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Meaning
power force    力

Explanation For example, left 左 or right 右 is understood as a hand ナ with a forearm. If the other line is seen as a bicep, this can be understood as "force".

Used in these characters:
JLPT 5Joyo 1
man, male
otoko, DAN, NAN
Top: rice paddy 田, bottom: power 力 (hand or arm with biceps ノ)
In the rice paddy you need the power of a man.  
JLPT 4Joyo 1
strength, effort
chikara, RYOKU, RIKI
A hand or arm with an extra part ノ for the strength of the biceps
With a strengthened arm you have power.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
help, assist, aid
tasukeru, JO
Left: in addition, moreover 且 (A pile of stones (= a stone cairn) where moreover stones are added.), right: strength 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
(For making a pile of stones) Additional strength would be a help.  
JLPT 3Joyo 3
win, beat, surpass
katsu, masaru, SHŌ
Combination of imperial majesty 朕 and strength 力 - BETTER: flesh/meat 月/肉, 龹 = fire 火 with BBQ-grate 二, power 力
If you barbecue your meat on a BBQ-grate over a fire you will have power to win.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
move
ugoku,
Left: heavy 重 (composed of vehicle 車 with double wheels), right: strength/power 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
For a heavy vehicle, you need force to move it.  
JLPT 4Joyo 3
strive, endeavour, exertion
BEN
Left: escape, permit 免 (an escaping rabbit 兔=兎=[うさぎ] - long ear ⺈, big eyes 罒, legs 儿), right: strength 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
For escaping you need strength and (you succeed when:) you strive hard.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
add, append, join
kuwaeru, KA
Left: power 力, right: mouth 口
(It is meant, to eat sth.) For getting power 力 your mouth 口 needs sth. to be 'added'.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
cooperate, arrangement
KYŌ
Left: ten 十, right: 劦 (= 3x force/strength 力)
10 x 3 forces cooperate.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
merit, achievement, service
KŌ, KU
Left: craftsman 工, right: strength/effort 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
A craftsman with strength achieves merits.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
energy, force, power
ikioi, SEI
Top left: earth 土, eight 八, earth/soil 土; right: round 丸 (sth. nine-九-sided needs an extra accent 丶 to become round.), below: force, strength 力
Eight layers of soil piled up all around with effort need a lot of energy.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
make efforts, endeavor, to strive
tsutomeru, DO
Top: guy, slave 奴 (women's-女-hands 又 made me to a guy, but also to a slave.), bottom: strength 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
The slave has enough strength to make an effort.  
JLPT 4Joyo 4
work, serve
hataraku,
Left: person 亻/人, right: to move 動 (For sth. heavy 重 you need strength 力 for moving.)
The person moves (= sth. heavy with force) at work.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
brave, courage, spirited, valiant, heroism
isamu,
Top: bent person マ, bottom: man 男 (= the field's 田 strength 力)
The bent person acts like a man: brave and with courage.  
JLPT 3Joyo 4
labor, trouble, toil

From top: Light , cover 冖 (together: crown ) and strength 力 (hand/arm with biceps ノ)
The crown above the force stands for the fulfilled labor.  
JLPT 1Joyo 5
congratulation, celebration
GA
Top: to add 加 (For getting power 力 your mouth 口 needs sth. to be 'added' [=to eat]), below: money 貝 (Image of a shell 目 with two feelers 八)
You should add money to congratulations.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
effect, efficacy, benefit, positive result
kiku,
Left: exchange, crossing 交 (image of a person sitting cross-legged), right: strength 力
The exchange of forces causes the beneficial effect.  
JLPT 2Joyo 5
duty, work, play your part
tsutomeru, MU
Left: spear 矛 (developed from the image of a barbed lance [not to be mistaken with 'beforehand': 予]), right: hit/strike 攵 (hand 又 with a stick ノ), strength/force 力
The spear hits with force: That's its duty.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
persuade, advise, encourage
susumeru, KAN
Left: bird 隹 with double cockscomb 一 as a proud rooster; right: force/strength 力 (hand/arm ナ with biceps ノ)
The proud rooster has the strength to persuade me.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
work, duty, serve
tsutomeru, KIN
Left: blooming plant 堇 (plant 艹 with 2 blossoms ロロ at growing plant ), right: strength/force 力
Blooming plants give me strength for my work.  
JLPT 1Joyo 6
muscle, sinew, line, vein
suji, KIN
Top: bamboo 竹, bottom: bodypart 月/肉 and strength/force 力
Bamboo as well as the body develops the strength through muscles and sinews.  
JLPT 2Joyo 6
childish, infancy
osanai,
Left: part of thread 糸 (therefore: torn thread), right: strength 力 (hand/arm ナ with biceps ノ)
To tear/break a thread with force is childish.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
kidnap, deceive, abduct
KAI
Left: hand 扌, right: mouth 口, power 力 (cf. invite 招)
I feel a hand on my mouth and a power/force: I am being kidnapped!  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
investigate (of crime), censure
GAI
Left: zodiac boar 亥 cf. pig 豕/豚, right: strength 力
You need a pig's strength to investigate that crime.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
consideration, intuition, perception, investigate, sense
KAN
Left: extreme, excessive 甚 (sweets 甘 [mouth with sth. in] and 'equal' 匹 [box with two identical bales] are extraordinary.), right: strength/effort 力 (hand/arm ナ with biceps ノ)
Make extreme efforts in your considerations.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
threaten, frighten, coerce
odosu, obiyakasu, KYŌ
Top: 3x strength 力, below: body 月/肉
When a triple force acts on your body, it is threatening.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
meritorious deed, merit
KUN
Top: move 動 (For sth. heavy 重 you need strength 力 for moving.), bottom: fire 灬
Move the fire. That's a meritorious deed.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
imperial edict
CHOKU
Left: bundle 束 (Things 木,禾 strapped with a ribbon 口 to a bundle), right: strength/effort 力
A bundle of strength is the imperial edict.  
JLPT 2Joyo 7
recruit (employees), enlisting, raise (funds)
tsunoru, BO
Top: sinking, going down 莫 (The plants 艹 are made by the sun 日 to be large 大 [= as long shadows] at sunset.), below: strength/effort 力 [Watch out: Sunrise is: 旦 or ]
With sinking strength we need (more) recruiting.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
encourage, strive. be diligent
hagemu/masu, REI
Left: 厉 (cliff 厂, 10,000 万), right: strength/effort 力
A cliff exuding ten-thousend-fold strength is encouraging.  
JLPT 1Joyo 7
be inferior, worse
otoru, RETSU
Top: few/little 少, below: strength 力
Too little strength makes you inferior.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
rise, occur suddenly, agile
BOTSU
Left: combination of ten 十 and: letter, writing 字, right: strength 力
Ten letters describing his strength appear suddenly.  
JLPT -Joyo 7
aside, another place
waki,
Left: body part 月/肉, right: 3 x strength 力 (hand/arm ナ with biceps ノ)
A body with triple strength is at my side.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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