| 勢 | 178A50 11.50 | 部居  | 畫數 13 | ㄕˋ [shi4] | ||
| N. | (1) Force, power: 勢力 [shi4li4]1↓; 權勢 power of position; 威勢 pomp and power; 勢燄薰天 one's position and power dominate the world (“flame darkens the sky”); 趨炎附勢 cater to those in power; 仗勢 rely on the protection of s.o. in power; 狗仗人勢 said of servant (“dog”) bullying others because of master's power and position. (2) Direction and force of movement: 火勢 the way fire spreads; 水勢 the force and direction of the current; 手勢 hand gesture, way of striking; 姿勢 posture, grace of movement (standing, walking, sitting). (3) Situation in combat: 得勢 successful, gains advantage in combat; 勢均力敵 their strength and advantage of situation match each other; 勢窮力竭 in a deplorable plight and powerless; 攻勢，兵勢 force of attacking army; 勢如破竹 smashes into enemy territory “like splitting bamboo”--without effort. (4) Situation in gen.: 情勢，形勢 situation, the way things look; 地勢，山勢 the lay of the land, mountains; 事勢，大勢 the trend of events; 乘勢，趁勢 take advantage of situation; 大勢不佳 situation deplorable, not tenable; 勢難兼顧 situation is such one cannot look after both at the same time; 勢不兩立 one of the two must be destroyed; 勢成騎虎 in the position of one riding a tiger--unable to get down and dangerous to go on; 勢所必至 is bound to come; 勢將，勢必 it will, it certainly will, by force of circumstances. (5) (LL) male genitals: 去其勢 to castrate. | |||||
| Words | 1. 勢力 [shi4li4]1, n., (1) force of strike; (2) political influence or influence of riches: 勢力範圍 sphere of influence. 2. 勢利 [shi4li4]2, adj., snobbish; 勢利眼 snobbery, judging people by wealth and power. 3. 勢派（兒） [shi4pai4] ([shi4pa4er0]), n., style of personality; pomp and circumstance. 4. 勢頭 [shi4tou2], n., prestige, power, the way things look. 5. 勢要 [shi4yao4], n., those in power. | |||||