能力 (néng lì) — capability in Mandarin
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#414 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
能力 is pronounced néng lì. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Tā yǒu hěn qiáng de néng lì.
He has strong capability.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 能力 mean?+
能力 (néng lì) means "capability" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 能力?+
能力 is pronounced néng lì. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 能力 in Mandarin?+
能力 is the #414 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 能力 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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