  We briefly review how nonrelativistic effective field theories give us a
definition of the QCD potentials and a coherent field theory derived quantum
mechanical scheme to calculate the properties of bound states made by two or
more heavy quarks. In this framework heavy quarkonium properties depend only on
the QCD parameters (quark masses and $\als$) and nonpotential corrections are
systematically accounted for. The relation between the form of the
nonperturbative potentials and the low energy QCD dynamics is also discussed.
