Chinese–EnglishWith examples

动力

dòng lì · dong li

Traditional 動力

HSK 3Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. motive power
  2. force
  3. (fig.) motivation
  4. impetus
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Where did the motivation go?

  1. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)最近(zuìjìn)跑步(pǎobù)没有(méiyǒu)动力(dònglì)。

    Lately I have no motivation to run.

  2. Liangliang

    你(nǐ)以前(yǐqián)每天(měitiān)都(dōu)跑(pǎo)，动力(dònglì)去(qù)哪儿(nǎr)了(le)？

    You used to run every day. Where did the motivation go?

  3. Dengdeng

    天气(tiānqì)冷(lěng)，早上(zǎoshang)起不来(qǐbùlái)。

    It is cold, and I cannot get up in the morning.

  4. Liangliang

    那(nà)找个人(zhǎogèrén)陪你(péinǐ)跑(pǎo)，就(jiù)有(yǒu)动力(dònglì)了(le)。明天(míngtiān)六点(liùdiǎn)？

    Then find someone to run with you, and you will have motivation. Tomorrow at six?

  5. Dengdeng

    我的(wǒde)动力(dònglì)一下子(yīxiàzi)又(yòu)没(méi)了(le)。

    My motivation is gone again, all at once.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

家(jiā)人(rén)的(de)支(zhī)持(chí)给(gěi)了(le)我(wǒ)继(jì)续(xù)前(qián)进(jìn)的(de)动(dòng)力(lì)。

My family's support gave me the motivation to keep moving forward.

02

这(zhè)台(tái)机(jī)器(qì)靠(kào)电(diàn)力(lì)提(tí)供(gōng)动(dòng)力(lì)。

This machine gets its motive power from electricity.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
动
dòng

(of sth) to move; to set in movement

力
lì

power; force

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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