<div class="s-table-container"><table class="s-table">
<thead>
<tr>
<th style="text-align: center;">時期<br>字體</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">字形</th>
<th style="text-align: center;">參考資料</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">商</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="noreferrer">甲</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HwMmLBOy.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HwMmLBOy.png" alt="力" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference" rel="noreferrer">甲</a>211<br><a href="https://www.guoxuedashi.net/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=22268&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">合集22268</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period" rel="noreferrer">戰國</a>・<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)" rel="noreferrer">晉</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions" rel="noreferrer">金</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/H3IA0mHO.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/H3IA0mHO.png" alt="力" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">中山王Ｘ鼎<br><a href="https://www.guoxuedashi.net/yzjwjc/?bh=2840" rel="noreferrer">集成2840</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Western_Han_(202_BC_%E2%80%93_9_AD)" rel="noreferrer">西漢</a><br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script" rel="noreferrer">隸</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/OE6enQ18.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/OE6enQ18.png" alt="力" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;">孫子139<br><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinqueshan_Han_Slips" rel="noreferrer">銀雀竹簡</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script" rel="noreferrer">楷</a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/gOMQUKIz.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gOMQUKIz.png" alt="力" /></a></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table></div>
<p>「力」 is a picture of a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_(plough)#Types" rel="noreferrer"><em>plough</em></a> (the farming tool). The word which this character originally represented is now written as 「耜」 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)" rel="noreferrer">Baxter-Sagart OC</a>: <strong>/*sə-ləʔ/</strong>); the meanings <em>power, strength</em> (<strong>/*k.rək/</strong>) are semantic extensions.</p>
<p>Palaeographic evidence for 「力」 being a picture of a <em>plough</em> is indirect, but is arguable due to the proximity of 「力」 to <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=268" rel="noreferrer">「田」 (picture of a <em>field</em> or <em>farmland</em>)</a> in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script" rel="noreferrer">oracle bone inscription</a> records. 「男」 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Compound_ideographs" rel="noreferrer">compound semantic</a> <em>field</em> + <em>plough</em> &gt; <em>male adult</em>, who traditionally did the job of ploughing the fields) is the most obvious example which survives, but we also have 「劦、⿱劦口」 (<em>3 ploughs</em> working together &gt; <em>to cooperate</em>, now written as 「協」). From <a href="https://www.guoxuedashi.net/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&amp;bh=1&amp;jgwfl=" rel="noreferrer">《合集》1</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/4cOhfjLjm.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4cOhfjLjm.png" alt="合集1" /></a></p>
<p>〔王〕大令【⿱日㐺】（眾）人，曰：【⿱劦口】（協）田（其）【⿳爫舟又】（受）秂（年）。</p>
<p>The King issued a Grand Directive to the masses, proclaiming: &quot;Work together to plough the fields, so that we are conferred bountiful harvest.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The original picture which 「力」 represented additionally survives in other characters, albeit in corrupted forms. For example, 「爭」 (e.g. in <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=4415" rel="noreferrer">「靜」</a>) is a picture of <em>two hands</em> <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=149" rel="noreferrer">「爫」</a> and <a href="https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=20" rel="noreferrer">「又」</a> on a <em>plough</em> 「力」, indicating the original meaning <em>to plough</em> (Baxter-Sagart OC: <strong>/*kˤeŋ/</strong>, now written as 「耕」); the current meaning <em>to strive for</em> (<strong>/*[ts]ˤreŋ/</strong>) is either a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Loangraphs" rel="noreferrer">phonetic loan</a> or semantic extension.</p>
<hr />
<p>The definition of <em>tendon</em> (or variations of anatomy which indicates something to do with exerting effort, e.g. <em>muscle</em>, <em>sinew</em>, <em>vein</em>) comes from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty" rel="noreferrer">Hàn</a>-era <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi" rel="noreferrer">Shuōwén Jiězì</a>, which is published more than 1,000 years after the first appearances of 「力」:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://szsw.bnu.edu.cn/book/org-page.action?page=291&amp;num=1&amp;zi=%E5%8A%9B" rel="noreferrer"><strong>《說文・力部》</strong></a></p>
<p><kbd><br><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/JoJufu2C.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/JoJufu2C.png" alt="力" /></a><br>　</kbd></p>
<p>筋也。象人筋之形。</p>
<p><em><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%AD%8B#Definitions" rel="noreferrer">Tendon/muscle</a>. Looks like the shape of a human tendon/muscle</em>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>We don't generally use something like Shuōwén Jiězì to explain characters if we have resources available which are closer to the date of first character appearance.</p>
<hr />
<p><strong>References</strong>:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://thesis.lib.nccu.edu.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/gsweb.cgi?o=dallcdr&amp;s=id=%22G0921510151%22." rel="noreferrer">蔡哲茂《商代農業卜辭研究》</a> pp. 37-38</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-26T00:29:56.307Z
How does plow = power; strength? I kind of don't get this semantic extension.
prismcool
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-26T00:34:14.467Z
@prismcool it's supposed to be a reminder of the physical exerted effort required to plough fields. In some societies, you'd get a dedicated beast of burden to do it efficiently, like a [water buffalo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_buffalo) in South-east Asia.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-26T01:21:55.743Z
@prismcool is thinking of a plough pulled by a motorized tractor :)
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-26T04:24:15.210Z
@WayneCheah Not quite, I'm actually thinking about the plow depicted in the character haha
prismcool
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-25T21:21:58.917Z
2024-11-25T22:25:30.330Z
2024-11-25T22:25:30.330Z
dROOOze
<p>What is the origin of the character &quot;力,&quot; often translated in English as force/power.  I have come across explanations based on the shape of a plow, and another explanation tying it to the word for &quot;tendon.&quot;  However, neither of those sources provided any historical evidence for their interpretation of the character.</p>

<glyph-origin>
Origin of the character "力"
# Origin of the character "力"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-11-25)

What is the origin of the character "力," often translated in English as force/power. I have come across explanations based on the shape of a plow, and another explanation tying it to the word for "tendon." However, neither of those sources provided any historical evidence for their interpretation of the character.

**Tags:** glyph-origin


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-11-25. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

| 時期 字體 | 字形 | 參考資料 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [商](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shang_dynasty) [甲](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script) | [力](https://i.sstatic.net/HwMmLBOy.png) | [甲](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian/Reference/JiaguwenReference)211 [合集22268](https://www.guoxuedashi.net/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=22268&jgwfl=) |
| [戰國](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warring_States_period)・[晉](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jin_(Chinese_state)) [金](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_bronze_inscriptions) | [力](https://i.sstatic.net/H3IA0mHO.png) | 中山王Ｘ鼎 [集成2840](https://www.guoxuedashi.net/yzjwjc/?bh=2840) |
| [西漢](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty#Western_Han_(202_BC_%E2%80%93_9_AD)) [隸](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_script) | [力](https://i.sstatic.net/OE6enQ18.png) | 孫子139 [銀雀竹簡](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yinqueshan_Han_Slips) |
| [楷](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regular_script) | [力](https://i.sstatic.net/gOMQUKIz.png) |  |

「力」 is a picture of a [*plough*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_(plough)#Types) (the farming tool). The word which this character originally represented is now written as 「耜」 ([Baxter-Sagart OC](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconstructions_of_Old_Chinese#Baxter%E2%80%93Sagart_(2014)): **/\*sə-ləʔ/**); the meanings *power, strength* (**/\*k.rək/**) are semantic extensions.

Palaeographic evidence for 「力」 being a picture of a *plough* is indirect, but is arguable due to the proximity of 「力」 to [「田」 (picture of a *field* or *farmland*)](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=268) in the [oracle bone inscription](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_script) records. 「男」 ([compound semantic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Compound_ideographs) *field* + *plough* > *male adult*, who traditionally did the job of ploughing the fields) is the most obvious example which survives, but we also have 「劦、⿱劦口」 (*3 ploughs* working together > *to cooperate*, now written as 「協」). From [《合集》1](https://www.guoxuedashi.net/jgwhj/?bhfl=1&bh=1&jgwfl=):

> [![合集1](https://i.sstatic.net/4cOhfjLjm.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/4cOhfjLjm.png)
>
> 〔王〕大令【⿱日㐺】（眾）人，曰：【⿱劦口】（協）田（其）【⿳爫舟又】（受）秂（年）。
>
> The King issued a Grand Directive to the masses, proclaiming: "Work together to plough the fields, so that we are conferred bountiful harvest."

The original picture which 「力」 represented additionally survives in other characters, albeit in corrupted forms. For example, 「爭」 (e.g. in [「靜」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=4415)) is a picture of *two hands* [「爫」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=149) and [「又」](https://xiaoxue.iis.sinica.edu.tw/yanbian?kaiOrder=20) on a *plough* 「力」, indicating the original meaning *to plough* (Baxter-Sagart OC: **/\*kˤeŋ/**, now written as 「耕」); the current meaning *to strive for* (**/\*[ts]ˤreŋ/**) is either a [phonetic loan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Loangraphs) or semantic extension.

---

The definition of *tendon* (or variations of anatomy which indicates something to do with exerting effort, e.g. *muscle*, *sinew*, *vein*) comes from the [Hàn](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_dynasty)-era [Shuōwén Jiězì](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuowen_Jiezi), which is published more than 1,000 years after the first appearances of 「力」:

> [**《說文・力部》**](https://szsw.bnu.edu.cn/book/org-page.action?page=291&num=1&zi=%E5%8A%9B)
>
> `![力](https://i.sstatic.net/JoJufu2C.png)`
>
> 筋也。象人筋之形。
>
> *[Tendon/muscle](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%AD%8B#Definitions). Looks like the shape of a human tendon/muscle*.

We don't generally use something like Shuōwén Jiězì to explain characters if we have resources available which are closer to the date of first character appearance.

---

**References**:

* [蔡哲茂《商代農業卜辭研究》](https://thesis.lib.nccu.edu.tw/cgi-bin/gs32/gsweb.cgi?o=dallcdr&s=id=%22G0921510151%22.) pp. 37-38

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: How does plow = power; strength? I kind of don't get this semantic extension.  
> **username_1**: @username_2 it's supposed to be a reminder of the physical exerted effort required to plough fields. In some societies, you'd get a dedicated beast of burden to do it efficiently, like a [water buffalo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_buffalo) in South-east Asia.  
> **username_3**: @username_2 is thinking of a plough pulled by a motorized tractor :)  
> **username_2**: @WayneCheah Not quite, I'm actually thinking about the plow depicted in the character haha  

---

