Usage note
用力是指使出力气做事情。
Yònglì shì zhǐ shǐ chū lìqì zuò shìqíng.
To exert effort means to use strength to do something.
Context note
搬重东西时需要用力。
Bān zhòng dōngxi shí xūyào yònglì.
You need to exert effort when moving heavy things.
5 examples
他用力推开门。
tā yòng lì tuī kāi mén。
He pushed the door open with effort.
小朋友用力画画。
xiǎo péng yǒu yòng lì huà huà。
The child draws with effort.
她用力跑向终点。
tā yòng lì pǎo xiàng zhōng diǎn。
She ran hard toward the finish line.
请用力拧开瓶盖。
qǐng yòng lì nǐng kāi píng gài。
Please twist the bottle cap open with effort.
他用力举起书包。
tā yòng lì jǔ qǐ shū bāo。
He lifted his backpack with effort.
5 mini stories
小明用力搬起箱子。箱子很重，但他成功了。
xiǎo míng yòng lì bān qǐ xiāng zǐ。 xiāng zǐ hěn zhòng， dàn tā chéng gōng le。
Xiao Ming exerted effort to lift the box. The box was heavy, but he succeeded.
小红用力跳绳。她跳得越来越高。
xiǎo hóng yòng lì tiào shéng。 tā tiào dé yuè lái yuè gāo。
Xiao Hong jumped rope with effort. She jumped higher and higher.
小华用力擦黑板。黑板变得很干净。
xiǎo huá yòng lì cā hēi bǎn。 hēi bǎn biàn de hěn gān jìng。
Xiao Hua wiped the blackboard with effort. The blackboard became very clean.
小丽用力打开窗户。新鲜空气进来了。
xiǎo lì yòng lì dǎ kāi chuāng hù。 xīn xiān kōng qì jìn lái le。
Xiao Li opened the window with effort. Fresh air came in.
小刚用力踢足球。球飞得很远。
xiǎo gāng yòng lì tī zú qiú。 qiú fēi dé hěn yuǎn。
Xiao Gang kicked the soccer ball with effort. The ball flew far.
Mini dialogue
搬箱子
A
这个箱子很重，我需要用力才能搬起来。
Zhège xiāngzi hěn zhòng, wǒ xūyào yònglì cái néng bān qǐlái.
This box is very heavy; I need to use strength to lift it.
B
我们一起用力，就能搬动了。
Wǒmen yīqǐ yònglì, jiù néng bān dòng le.
Let's use strength together, then we can move it.
拔河比赛
A
拔河的时候，大家要一起用力拉绳子。
Báhé de shíhou, dàjiā yào yīqǐ yònglì lā shéngzi.
During tug-of-war, everyone must use strength to pull the rope together.
B
对，用力拉，我们就能赢！
Duì, yònglì lā, wǒmen jiù néng yíng!
Right, pull with strength, and we can win!
Related words and contrasts
similar
使劲
shǐ jìn
exert strength
用力 and 使劲 both mean using physical strength, but 使劲 is more colloquial.
related
努力
nǔ lì
work hard
努力 means putting in effort, often mentally, while 用力 is physical.
opposite
轻轻
qīng qīng
gently
轻轻 means doing something lightly, opposite of using force.