guólì: 国力 - National Power, National Strength

• Keywords: guoli, 国力, national power in Chinese, national strength, comprehensive national power, China's strength, Chinese politics, international relations, what does guoli mean, China's rise
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 国力 (guólì), the essential Chinese term for national power or national strength. This core concept goes far beyond military might, encompassing a nation's comprehensive economic, technological, and cultural influence on the world stage. Learning about 国力 is crucial for understanding modern Chinese media, political goals, and the deep-seated national desire for global respect and rejuvenation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): guólì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: The comprehensive strength and power of a nation.
• In a Nutshell: 国力 (guólì) is the holistic report card for a country. It's not just about tanks and soldiers; it's a measure of a nation's total ability to influence the world and achieve its domestic and international goals. Think of it as a country's combined “stat points” in economics, technology, military capacity, culture, and diplomacy. A country with high 国力 is a major player on the global stage.

• 国 (guó): This character is a combination of a box 囗 representing a boundary or territory, and 玉 (yù) for jade, originally representing a weapon and population within the boundary. It straightforwardly means “country,” “nation,” or “state.”
• 力 (lì): This character is a pictogram of a muscular arm or a plow, symbolizing strength, force, and power.
• Together, 国力 (guólì) literally translates to “nation's strength,” a clear and powerful combination that captures its meaning perfectly.

The concept of 国力 is central to the modern Chinese psyche and political discourse. Its importance is deeply rooted in China's history, particularly the “Century of Humiliation” (百年国耻, bǎinián guóchǐ) from the mid-19th to mid-20th century, when China suffered invasions, unequal treaties, and internal turmoil. The pursuit of strong 国力 is therefore seen as a way to wash away this historical shame and restore China to its rightful place as a strong, respected nation. While an American might talk about being a “superpower,” which often evokes images of military dominance and global intervention, 国力 is a more holistic and inwardly-focused metric. The modern term often used is 综合国力 (zōnghé guólì), or “Comprehensive National Power.” This emphasizes a balanced development of:

• Hard Power (硬实力, yìng shílì): Economy, military, technology.
• Soft Power (软实力, ruǎn shílì): Culture, diplomacy, national image.

The ultimate goal of increasing 国力 is to achieve the “Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation” (中华民族伟大复兴, Zhōnghuá mínzú wěidà fùxīng), a cornerstone of the “Chinese Dream” (中国梦, Zhōngguó mèng). For many in China, seeing the country's 国力 grow is a source of immense national pride.

国力 is a formal and significant term, used frequently in specific contexts.

• News and Politics: This is its most common home. You will hear and read 国力 constantly in news reports on CCTV, in government documents, and in speeches by political leaders discussing international relations, economic policy, and military modernization.
• Academic Discussion: Scholars of international relations, economics, and history use 国力 as a core analytical concept.
• Formal Conversation: While not used for everyday gossip, it can appear in serious conversations among educated people discussing current events, national achievements (like a successful space mission), or the country's future.
• Common Collocations:
  • 增强国力 (zēngqiáng guólì) - to strengthen/enhance national power
  • 提升国力 (tíshēng guólì) - to raise/promote national power
  • 综合国力 (zōnghé guólì) - comprehensive national power
  • 国力强盛 (guólì qiángshèng) - (for a nation's power to be) strong and prosperous

The term carries a neutral-to-positive connotation. A strong 国力 is universally seen as a desirable national objective.

• Example 1:
  • 经济发展是增强国力的基础。
  • Pinyin: Jīngjì fāzhǎn shì zēngqiáng guólì de jīchǔ.
  • English: Economic development is the foundation for strengthening national power.
  • Analysis: This sentence states a core tenet of modern Chinese policy: that economic strength is the bedrock of all other forms of national power.
• Example 2:
  • 一个国家的国力不仅体现在军事上，也体现在文化影响力上。
  • Pinyin: Yí ge guójiā de guólì bùjǐn tǐxiàn zài jūnshì shàng, yě tǐxiàn zài wénhuà yǐngxiǎnglì shàng.
  • English: A country's national power is not only reflected in its military, but also in its cultural influence.
  • Analysis: This highlights the modern, comprehensive understanding of 国力, including soft power. The structure 不仅…也… (bùjǐn… yě…) means “not only… but also…”.
• Example 3:
  • 中国的综合国力在过去几十年里有了显著提升。
  • Pinyin: Zhōngguó de zōnghé guólì zài guòqù jǐ shí nián lǐ yǒu le xiǎnzhù tíshēng.
  • English: China's comprehensive national power has significantly increased over the past few decades.
  • Analysis: 综合国力 (zōnghé guólì) is a very common and specific term used in official and academic contexts.
• Example 4:
  • 科技创新是衡量国力的一个重要指标。
  • Pinyin: Kējì chuàngxīn shì héngliáng guólì de yí ge zhòngyào zhǐbiāo.
  • English: Technological innovation is an important indicator for measuring national power.
  • Analysis: This shows how specific fields like science and technology are seen as direct contributors to a nation's overall strength.
• Example 5:
  • 这两个国家的国力相差悬殊。
  • Pinyin: Zhè liǎng ge guójiā de guólì xiāngchà xuánshū.
  • English: The national power of these two countries is vastly different.
  • Analysis: 相差悬殊 (xiāngchà xuánshū) is a formal chengyu-like phrase meaning “a wide gap” or “vastly different,” often used when comparing things like strength or status.
• Example 6:
  • 强大的国力是维护国家主权和安全的重要保障。
  • Pinyin: Qiángdà de guólì shì wéihù guójiā zhǔquán hé ānquán de zhòngyào bǎozhàng.
  • English: Strong national power is an important guarantee for safeguarding national sovereignty and security.
  • Analysis: A very common political statement linking 国力 directly to national security and independence.
• Example 7:
  • 举办奥运会被视为一个国家展示其国力的机会。
  • Pinyin: Jǔbàn Àoyùnhuì bèi shìwéi yí ge guójiā zhǎnshì qí guólì de jīhuì.
  • English: Hosting the Olympics is seen as an opportunity for a country to display its national power.
  • Analysis: This connects 国力 to real-world events that project a nation's image and capabilities to the world.
• Example 8:
  • 我们不应该盲目地追求国力而忽视了人民的幸福。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bù yīnggāi mángmù de zhuīqiú guólì ér hūshì le rénmín de xìngfú.
  • English: We should not blindly pursue national power while ignoring the people's happiness.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides a critical perspective, suggesting that the pursuit of 国力 should be balanced with other societal goals. It shows the term can be used in debates.
• Example 9:
  • 清朝末年，国力衰弱，屡遭外敌入侵。
  • Pinyin: Qīngcháo mònián, guólì shuāiruò, lǚzāo wàidí rùqīn.
  • English: In the late Qing Dynasty, the national power was weak, and it repeatedly suffered from foreign invasions.
  • Analysis: A historical example that directly connects weak 国力 (国力衰弱, guólì shuāiruò) with negative consequences, reinforcing the cultural importance of the term.
• Example 10:
  • 一个国家的国力强大，在国际事务中就有更大的发言权。
  • Pinyin: Yí ge guójiā de guólì qiángdà, zài guójì shìwù zhōng jiù yǒu gèng dà de fāyánquán.
  • English: When a country's national power is strong, it has a greater say in international affairs.
  • Analysis: This links 国力 to diplomatic influence. 发言权 (fāyánquán) literally means “right to speak,” but here it means “say” or “voice.”

• Mistake 1: Equating 国力 with only military power.
  • A common mistake for learners is to think 国力 just means “military strength.” While the military is a component, 国力 is much broader.
  • Incorrect: 美国有很多航母，所以国力很强。(Měiguó yǒu hěn duō hángmǔ, suǒyǐ guólì hěn qiáng.) - “The US has many aircraft carriers, so its national power is strong.”
  • Why it's weak: This isn't grammatically wrong, but it's a simplistic and incomplete thought in Chinese. It's like saying “He's rich because he has a nice car.”
  • Correct: 美国的国力体现在其强大的军事、领先的科技和全球性的经济影响力等多个方面。(Měiguó de guólì tǐxiàn zài qí qiángdà de jūnshì, lǐngxiān de kējì hé quánqiúxìng de jīngjì yǐngxiǎnglì děng duō ge fāngmiàn.) - “America's national power is reflected in many aspects, such as its powerful military, leading technology, and global economic influence.”
• Mistake 2: Using 国力 for individuals or companies.
  • 国力 is *exclusively* for countries/nations. You cannot use it to describe the power of a person, a company, or any other entity.
  • Incorrect: 苹果公司的国力很强。 (Píngguǒ gōngsī de guólì hěn qiáng.)
  • Correct: 苹果公司的实力很强。(Píngguǒ gōngsī de shílì hěn qiáng.) or 苹果公司的影响力很大。(Píngguǒ gōngsī de yǐngxiǎnglì hěn dà.) - Use 实力 (shílì - strength/capability) or 影响力 (yǐngxiǎnglì - influence).

• 综合国力 (zōnghé guólì) - Comprehensive National Power. The most precise and common modern term for 国力, emphasizing its all-encompassing nature.
• 软实力 (ruǎn shílì) - Soft Power. A key component of 国力, referring to cultural and diplomatic influence.
• 硬实力 (yìng shílì) - Hard Power. The traditional components of 国力: military and economic might.
• 强国 (qiángguó) - Strong Nation / Powerful Country. A noun describing a country that possesses great 国力.
• 大国 (dàguó) - Great Power / Major Country. A country with significant global influence, implying strong 国力.
• 民族复兴 (mínzú fùxīng) - National Rejuvenation. The ultimate goal that is to be achieved by increasing a nation's 国力.
• 国策 (guócè) - National Policy. The official government strategies implemented to increase 国力.
• 国威 (guówēi) - National Prestige. The respect and awe a nation commands, which is a direct result of its 国力.
• 实力 (shílì) - Strength / Capability. A more general term for strength that can be applied to people, companies, or nations. 国力 is a specific type of 实力.