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用力

Mandarin · pinyin yòng lì

to exert oneself physically

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Characters in this entry

用: yòng · use, employ, apply, operate; use
力: lì · power, capability, influence; Kangxi radical 19

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–4 · yong4 li4

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Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jung6 lik6

Cantonese word readings for 用力. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

(intransitive, verb-object) to exert oneself; to apply one's force
(intransitive, verb-object) to make an effort; to strive; to endeavor; to work hard

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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