强迫 (qiǎngpò) touches upon universal themes of power and autonomy, but it has particular resonance within social structures that emphasize hierarchy and obligation. In traditional Chinese culture, the dynamic between parents and children, or teachers and students, often involved a higher degree of what might be perceived as “forcing” from a Western perspective. For example, a parent 强迫 (qiǎngpò) their child to practice piano for hours was often seen as a sign of responsible parenting—a duty to ensure the child's future success. This contrasts with a modern Western cultural ideal that places a very high value on individual choice and self-determination from a young age. While a Western parent might “strongly encourage” an activity, using a word with the force of 强迫 (qiǎngpò) would almost certainly be seen as negative and potentially harmful. Today, while China is modernizing rapidly, these traditional undercurrents still exist. However, the most significant modern cultural context for 强迫 (qiǎngpò) is in the term 强迫症 (qiǎngpòzhèng), or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This term is widely known and has brought the concept of internal, psychological “forcing” into the mainstream consciousness, describing the feeling of being compelled by one's own mind to perform repetitive actions.
强迫 (qiǎngpò) is almost always used with a negative connotation. It implies the action is undesirable and resisted by the person being forced.