权 (quán) - power & authority

权Tone 2

quán ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 木

情仁

权 · quán

power;

authority;

right;

privilege;

expediency;

temporary measure

powerauthorityright

Usage highlights

powerrightsauthoritytemporary measurebalance of powerhuman rights

Synonyms

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He has the authority to make decisions (权力).
  • Everyone has the right to education (权利).
  • This is just a temporary measure (权宜之计).
  • The balance of power (权力平衡) is important.

Collocations

  • power(权力)
  • rights(权利)
  • authority(权威)
  • temporary measure(权宜)
  • balance of power(权力平衡)
  • human rights(人权)

Idioms

  • A temporary expedient(权宜之计)
  • To abuse one's power(滥用职权)
  • To measure and then act(权量而行)
  • Power and profit(权钱交易)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese thought, '权' often refers to expediency or temporary measures that may deviate from normal principles.
  • The character combines '木' (wood) and '又' (hand), originally referring to a yellow flowering tree, later borrowed for 'power/authority'.
  • In modern contexts, '权' is central to discussions about rights, authority, and political power.

FAQ