Chinese word

软实力

Pronunciation

Pinyinruǎn shí lì

Meaning

  • nounsoft power

Example

一个国家的软实力不能只靠军力。yí gè guó jiā de ruǎn shí lì bù néng zhǐ kào jūn lì

A country's soft power cannot rely solely on military strength.

Illustration for 软实力 (soft power)

More examples

政府应采取措施增强软实力。zhèng fǔ yīng cái qǔ cuò shī zēng qiáng ruǎn shí lì

The government should take steps to strengthen soft power.

Core concept

Influence that attracts support through culture, values, education, and institutions rather than force.

Common phrases

  • 增强软实力zēng qiáng ruǎn shí lì

    strengthen soft power

  • 国家软实力guó jiā ruǎn shí lì

    a country's soft power

  • 文化软实力wén huà ruǎn shí lì

    cultural soft power

Similar words

硬实力yìng shí lì: The capacity to influence others through military resources, economic strength, or pressure.
影响力yíng xiǎng lì: The ability to affect another person or country's thoughts, feelings, actions, or decisions.
吸引力xī yǐn lì: The quality of attracting attention, interest, goodwill, or affection.
国际形象guó jì xíng xiàng: The overall impression and judgment that people in other countries have of a country.

Definition in Chinese

指国家或组织依靠文化、价值观、制度、教育、媒体等软性因素，影响他国公众与决策者，使其自愿改变态度或采取有利于本方行动的能力。zhǐ guó jiā huò zǔ zhī yī kào wén huà jià zhí guān zhì dù jiào yù méi tǐ děng ruǎn xìng yīn sù yíng xiǎng tā guó gōng zhòng yǔ jué cè zhě shǐ qí zì yuàn gǎi biàn tài dù huò cái qǔ yǒu lì yú běn fāng xíng dòng de néng lì

Word origin

软实力 (ruǎnshílì, "soft power") is a Chinese rendering of the English term soft power, combining 软 (ruǎn, "soft") with 实力 (shílì, "strength") to frame non-coercive appeal as a kind of strength.

Usage tips

  • In everyday discussion, the term can describe a country, company, university, city, or brand, not a person's gentle personality.

Opposites

  • 硬实力yìng shí lìhard powernoun

Word lists with this word