Chinese word

人力

Pronunciation

Pinyinrén lì

Meaning

  • nounmanpower

Example

这个项目缺乏人力。zhè ge xiàng mù quē fá rén lì

This project lacks manpower.

Illustration for 人力 (manpower)

More examples

公司需要投入更多人力来完成这个项目。gōng sī xū yào tóu rù gèng duō rén lì lái wán chéng zhè ge xiàng mù

The company needs to invest more manpower to complete this project.

Core concept

The human capacity an organization can draw on to get work done.

Common phrases

  • 人力资源rén lì zī yuán

    human resources

  • 缺乏人力quē fá rén lì

    lack manpower

  • 人力成本rén lì chéng běn

    labor costs

Similar words

人员rén yuán: The staff who belong to a particular organization or department.
人手rén shǒu: The available workers or helping hands for carrying out work.
人力资源rén lì zī yuán: An organization's workforce viewed as a resource for hiring, development, and management.

Definition in Chinese

指组织或单位可动用的人员与劳动力，即可用于支援或完成任务的人的集合与能力。zhǐ zǔ zhī huò dān wèi kě dòng yòng de rén yuán yǔ láo dòng lì jí kě yòng yú zhī yuán huò wán chéng rèn wù de rén de jí hé yǔ néng lì

Word origin

人 (rén, "person") + 力 (lì, "strength") presents people as a source of strength that an organization can use, which develops into the sense of available staff and labor.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may hear a count of people in this noun, but Chinese can use it for the amount of staffing a task can draw on even when no number is given.

Other meanings

  • personnelnoun

Opposites

  • 自动化zì dòng huàautomationnoun
  • 机械化jī xiè huàmechanizationnoun

Related words

  • 人力资源rén lì zī yuánhuman resourcesnoun
  • 人力成本rén lì chéng běnlabor costsnoun
  • 人力密集型rén lì mì jí xínglabor-intensiveadjective

Word lists with this word