力
chikara
From pushing hard to electric power, ability, effort
The picture Tendons stand out on an arm and something gives way and moves: a force you cannot see, only its traces. 力 is the force that pushes and moves; 心 is the heart that decides where that force goes.
Where the picture shows up in 力
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force gathered in the hands
力を入れて押してください。
chikara o irete oshite kudasai
Please push hard.
Two palms press flat on a door, tendons rise on the arms, and the door shifts a little
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forces lined up one way
ご協力ありがとうございます。
go-kyōryoku arigatō gozaimasu
Thank you for your cooperation.
Several people push from the same side and the heavy load finally slides
協力 is 'matching forces': what matters is that the directions agree.
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force arriving along a wire
この工場は電力をたくさん使います。
kono kōjō wa denryoku o takusan tsukaimasu
This factory uses a lot of electricity.
A cable runs into the wall and a machine shaft starts to turn
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how much force you can put out
彼は英語の能力が高いです。
kare wa eigo no nōryoku ga takai desu
His English ability is high.
Given the same document, one person reads straight through it without getting stuck
能力 is 'force you can produce': ability drawn as an amount of force.
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force pushed in day by day
毎日少しずつ努力しています。
mainichi sukoshi zutsu doryoku shite imasu
I'm working at it a little every day.
Footprints pile up on the same slope, each day pushed a little further up
努力 pictures squeezing out force and keeping up the push.
All of it in one picture
力 is one force that pushes things into motion. Gather it in your hands against a door and you get 力を入れる, to push hard; line several people's force up in one direction and you get 協力, cooperation. Let it run down a wire and turn a machine and you get 電力, electric power; measure how much one person can put out and you get 能力, ability; push a little of it in every day and you get 努力, effort. In every word you can see the same force making something move.