Strength in Japanese

Strength in Japanese is 力, romanised as chikara and written in hiragana as ちから. 力 is one of the first kanji Japanese children learn and appears in compounds for physical, mental, electrical, and economic power. It can be read as chikara (native), ryoku, or riki depending on the compound.

力 means "power, strength, force" (2 strokes; on'yomi: ryoku, riki; kun'yomi: chikara). Together the word reads as chikara.

力 (chikara) is the standard form: 力 is one of the first kanji Japanese children learn and appears in compounds for physical, mental, electrical, and economic power. It can be read as chikara (native), ryoku, or riki depending on the compound.. 強さ (tsuyosa) is different — the abstract quality of being strong, mental or moral fortitude. Pick based on the exact nuance you want to convey.

力 is a clean, two-stroke kanji that reads as physical or inner strength. It is one of the most popular single-kanji tattoos worldwide. For mental fortitude rather than raw power, 強さ (tsuyosa) is more accurate but uses two characters and a hiragana. Avoid stylised fonts that distort the second hooked stroke.

In hiragana, strength is written as ちから, which represents the sound chikara. The kanji form 力 is used in everyday writing; hiragana is used when the kanji is too difficult, for emphasis, or in children's text.