noun HSK 5
endurance · stamina · staying power
Meaning
耐力 refers to physical or mental endurance—the ability to sustain prolonged effort or withstand fatigue over time. It's commonly used in contexts of sports, fitness, and work, describing someone's capacity to keep going despite difficulty or exhaustion.
Usage
Frequently appears in discussions of athletic training, physical fitness tests, and workplace productivity. Often paired with verbs like 锻炼 (to train), 提高 (to improve), or 考验 (to test). Can describe both physical stamina and mental perseverance in challenging situations.
Examples
- 01马拉松运动员需要很强的耐力。.Marathon runners need very strong endurance.
- 02他通过长跑来提高自己的耐力。.He improves his stamina through long-distance running.
Characters
Common collocations
- 锻炼耐力to train endurance
- 提高耐力to improve stamina
- 耐力训练endurance training
- 考验耐力to test endurance
Origin
Compound of 耐 (endure) + 力 (strength), literally meaning 'enduring strength.' The character 耐 itself contains the heart radical 心, suggesting inner capacity to bear difficulty.