權 (quán) - Power, authority, right & to weigh, consider

權Tone 2

quán ｜ 21 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

權 · quán

Power, authority, right;

to weigh, consider;

temporary, provisional;

a surname.

Power, authority, rightto weigh, considertemporary, provisional

Usage highlights

PowerRightAuthorityTo weighTemporary expedientPrivilege

Synonyms

  • 力— power, force, strength
  • 势— power, influence, momentum
  • 威— authority, prestige, might

Antonyms

  • 责— responsibility, duty (contrasts with right/privilege)
  • 义— righteousness, duty (contrasts with expediency)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He has decision-making power (决策权).
  • We need to weigh the pros and cons (权衡利弊).
  • This is a temporary measure (权宜之计).
  • Human rights are fundamental (人权).
  • She holds the authority to approve (审批权).

Collocations

  • Power(权力)
  • Right(权利)
  • Authority(权威)
  • To weigh(权衡)
  • Temporary expedient(权宜)
  • Privilege(特权)

Idioms

  • A makeshift policy(权宜之计)
  • To abuse one's power(滥用职权)
  • To weigh the pros and cons(权衡轻重)
  • Power and strategy(权谋)
  • To act according to circumstances(通权达变)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese thought, 'quan' (权) was often contrasted with 'jing' (经) – the permanent or fundamental principle. 'Quan' represented flexibility and adaptation to circumstances.
  • The character contains the 'wood' radical (木), relating to its original meaning of a steelyard weight (made of wood or hung from a wooden beam), symbolizing measurement and judgment.
  • In modern contexts, it is central to discussions of political power, legal rights, and social authority.

FAQ