功力 gōnglì merit
merit; efficacy; competence; skill; power
How to remember 功力: 功 achievement + 力 power = merit.
Characters
How it is used
- Depth of skill/mastery built up through training - 他的书法功力深厚 (tā de shūfǎ gōnglì shēnhòu) his calligraphy shows deep mastery.
- Praises accumulated competence in an art or craft; note it's gōnglì, homophone with 功利 but opposite in spirit.
- Collocation: 功力深厚/不够 (deep / insufficient command).