自 力(じりき)

じりき

noun

one's own power; by oneself

cognition society

1. one's own power; one's own efforts

the ability or effort to accomplish something without help from others

自力(じりき)で解決(かいけつ)した。

I solved it by myself.

自力(じりき)で歩(ある)けるようになった。

I became able to walk on my own.

自力(じりき)で会社(かいしゃ)を立(た)ち上(あ)げた。

I started a company on my own.

自力(じりき)では限界(げんかい)があるから、助(たす)けを求(もと)めた。

There are limits to what I can do alone, so I asked for help.

Usage

Most often 自力(じりき)で, "on one's own, without help."

Etymology

In Buddhist terminology, 自力(じりき) refers to achieving enlightenment through one's own efforts, contrasted with 他力(たりき) (reliance on Amida Buddha's power).

Common collocations

自力(じりき)で - by oneself
自力(じりき)更生(こうせい) - rebuilding by one's own efforts; self-reliance
自力(じりき)救済(きゅうさい) - (law) self-help: enforcing one's rights without going to court

Related words

他力(たりき) - help from others; reliance on external power

Watch out

Read じりき, not じりょく. The -りょく reading is the usual one elsewhere (体力(たいりょく), 能力(のうりょく)), but not here.

Related Words

Antonym: 他力(たりき) (others' power)

general

Added 2026.1.27 19:33 · Revised 2026.9.27 3:47

08500/08513_jiriki