威力(いりょく)

いりょく
noun
power; might; force; authority
1. power; might; force
Great force or strength, especially the destructive or impressive power of something such as a weapon, natural phenomenon, or technique.
この爆弾(ばくだん)の威力(いりょく)はすさまじい。
The power of this bomb is tremendous.
台風(たいふう)の威力(いりょく)で木(き)が倒(たお)れた。
Trees were knocked down by the force of the typhoon.
この新型(しんがた)エンジンは従来(じゅうらい)のものより威力(いりょく)が大(おお)きい。
This new engine has greater power than the conventional one.
2. authority; influence; coercive power
The power to compel or intimidate others, often through one's position, status, or implied threat.
威力(いりょく)業務(ぎょうむ)妨害(ぼうがい)で逮捕(たいほ)された。
He was arrested for forcible obstruction of business.
社長(しゃちょう)の名前(なまえ)を出(だ)すと、威力(いりょく)を発揮(はっき)する。
Dropping the company president's name exerts considerable influence.
暴力団(ぼうりょくだん)が威力(いりょく)を背景(はいけい)に金(かね)を要求(ようきゅう)した。
The crime syndicate demanded money backed by intimidation.

Combines 威(い) (intimidation/authority) and 力(りょく) (power/force). The word carries a sense of overwhelming or impressive power, whether physical or social.

Common collocations

Legal usage

威力(いりょく)業務(ぎょうむ)妨害(ぼうがい) is a specific criminal charge in Japanese law, referring to obstructing someone's work through force, threats, or intimidation.

Similar words

  • 力(ちから): power, strength — the most general and common word for power; lacks the connotation of impressiveness or intimidation
  • 権力(けんりょく): political power, authority — specifically refers to institutional or governmental power
  • 勢力(せいりょく): influence, power base — refers to the sphere or extent of one's influence, especially of organizations or groups

Related Words

Compare: 権力(けんりょく) (political power, authority)
Compare: 勢力(せいりょく) (influence, power base)
general
Added 2026.3.26 17:30 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
19500/19611_iryoku