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Kanji for Power
The kanji most commonly used for "Power" are 力、権、威.
力
Kanji that mean Power
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力
power, to exert, effort
Onyomi: rii, riki, ryoku Kunyomi: chikara 2 strokes Jōyō
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権
right, power
Also associated with temporary.
Onyomi: gon, ken Kunyomi: haka.ru, kari, omori 15 strokes Jōyō
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威
to threaten, power
Also associated with stern.
Onyomi: i Kunyomi: odo.kasu, odo.shi, odo.su 9 strokes Jōyō
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勢
force, vigor, situation
Onyomi: sei, zei Kunyomi: hazumi, ikio.i 13 strokes Jōyō
力 is power at its most basic: physical force and the capacity to act. Two strokes, read chikara on its own, it is also the second half of most of the words in this family — 能力 (ability), 体力 (physical strength), 権力, 威力.
権 is power as authority: the right to decide, and the institutions that hold it. 権力 is political power, 権利 is a legal right, 人権 is human rights. It is power granted or claimed rather than power possessed.
威 is power that overawes. 威力 is sheer might, 威厳 is dignity, 脅威 is a threat; joined to 権 it makes 権威, authority in the sense of standing. 勢 is power as momentum, the force behind something already moving, as in 勢力.
Be careful with the dictionary glosses here: 乗 is filed under power only in the mathematical sense — 二乗 means squared — and otherwise means to ride.
Words using Power kanji
Everyday Japanese vocabulary built from the characters above.
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努力
どりょく
effort; exertion; endeavour
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政権
せいけん
(political) administration; political power
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脅威
きょうい
threat; menace
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勢力
せいりょく
influence; power; might
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選手権
せんしゅけん
championship; title (of champion); championship game
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権威
けんい
authority; power; influence
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姿勢
しせい
posture; pose; position
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協力
きょうりょく
cooperation; collaboration; help
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人権
じんけん
human rights; civil liberties
Before you use Power kanji
力 is the plain, safe choice and reads as strength or power with no second meaning. 権 is about authority and legal rights and reads bureaucratic. 威 leans toward intimidation — 威圧 is to overawe someone — so it is not a flattering single character to wear.