The Chinese word **竞争力 (jìngzhēnglì)**, meaning "competitiveness" or "competitive power," is a modern compound noun formed by combining three meaningful characters: **竞 (jìng)**, meaning "to compete" or "contest"; **争 (zhēng)**, meaning "to strive" or "contend"; and **力 (lì)**, meaning "strength" or "capability." The first two characters, **竞争**, together form a common word for "competition," emphasizing the dynamic, striving aspect of rivalry. By adding **力**, the compound shifts from describing the act itself to denoting the inherent *capacity or power* to engage in and succeed within that competition. Thus, the formation logically progresses from "compete" + "strive" to form "competition," which is then combined with "power" to create the abstract concept of "competitive strength," as in a company's or an individual's **竞争力**.