See soft power in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for soft power meaning in English (8.4kB)
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"etymology_text": "Coined by American political scientist Joseph Nye in the late 1980s and popularized in the 1990 book “Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power”.",
"forms": [
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"form": "soft powers",
"tags": [
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"examples": [
{
"ref": "1999 March 8, Joseph S. Nye Jr., “The Challenge of Soft Power”, in Time",
"text": "Soft power is a country's cultural and ideological appeal. It is the ability to get desired outcomes through attraction instead of force.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2007 May 23, Jim Yardley, “Blocked by U.S., China finds it own way to space”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-07-16",
"text": "The bank often provides the hard currency for Chinese soft power aspirations: In Africa, China ExIm has handed out more than $7 billion in loans in recent years.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2011 January 8, “More Indian cultural centres to showcase soft power: PM”, in Indiaweb123.com, retrieved 2011-07-16",
"text": "India will set up cultural centres in five more countries to showcase its soft power and acquire a global footprint for its rich diversity, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Saturday.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2024 April 1, David Pierson, “The Bizarre Chinese Murder Plot Behind Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
"text": "His bid to popularize Mr. Liu’s novels was a rare attempt to export Chinese popular culture — something that has eluded China as its government yearns to wield the same soft power the United States commands with its movies, music and sports stars.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, media, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc., rather than by such \"hard\" means as military intervention or punitive economic measures."
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"id": "en-soft_power-en-noun-~hgVG9z4",
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"raw_glosses": [
"(politics) Political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, media, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc., rather than by such \"hard\" means as military intervention or punitive economic measures."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
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],
"topics": [
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"translations": [
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"alt": "al-quwwa(t) an-nāʕima",
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "القُوَّة النَّاعِمَة"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "az",
"lang": "Azerbaijani",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "yumşaq güc"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "mjakkaja sila",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мяккая сіла"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "軟實力"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "ruǎnshílì",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "软实力"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "blød magt"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "pehmeä valta"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "soft power"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "puissance douce"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "rbili ʒala",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "რბილი ძალა"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Soft Power"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "weiche Macht"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "id",
"lang": "Indonesian",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "kekuatan lunak"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "sofuto-pawā",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "ソフト・パワー"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "kuasa lunak"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"note": "no equivalent term in Polish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc."
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "but see siła"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "putere moale"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjáxkaja síla",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мя́гкая си́ла"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjáxkaja vlastʹ",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мя́гкая власть"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "poder blando"
},
{
"_dis1": "98 2",
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "mjuk makt"
}
]
},
{
"glosses": [
"A state having this kind of power."
],
"id": "en-soft_power-en-noun-4Txhv3Hl",
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"state"
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],
"related": [
{
"_dis1": "32 68",
"word": "hard power"
},
{
"_dis1": "32 68",
"word": "smart power"
},
{
"_dis1": "32 68",
"word": "sharp power"
}
],
"tags": [
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],
"word": "soft power"
}
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"ref": "1999 March 8, Joseph S. Nye Jr., “The Challenge of Soft Power”, in Time",
"text": "Soft power is a country's cultural and ideological appeal. It is the ability to get desired outcomes through attraction instead of force.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2007 May 23, Jim Yardley, “Blocked by U.S., China finds it own way to space”, in New York Times, retrieved 2011-07-16",
"text": "The bank often provides the hard currency for Chinese soft power aspirations: In Africa, China ExIm has handed out more than $7 billion in loans in recent years.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2011 January 8, “More Indian cultural centres to showcase soft power: PM”, in Indiaweb123.com, retrieved 2011-07-16",
"text": "India will set up cultural centres in five more countries to showcase its soft power and acquire a global footprint for its rich diversity, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Saturday.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "2024 April 1, David Pierson, “The Bizarre Chinese Murder Plot Behind Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem’”, in The New York Times, →ISSN",
"text": "His bid to popularize Mr. Liu’s novels was a rare attempt to export Chinese popular culture — something that has eluded China as its government yearns to wield the same soft power the United States commands with its movies, music and sports stars.",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
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"Political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, media, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc., rather than by such \"hard\" means as military intervention or punitive economic measures."
],
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"(politics) Political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, media, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc., rather than by such \"hard\" means as military intervention or punitive economic measures."
],
"tags": [
"countable",
"uncountable"
],
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],
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],
"translations": [
{
"alt": "al-quwwa(t) an-nāʕima",
"code": "ar",
"lang": "Arabic",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "القُوَّة النَّاعِمَة"
},
{
"code": "az",
"lang": "Azerbaijani",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "yumşaq güc"
},
{
"code": "be",
"lang": "Belarusian",
"roman": "mjakkaja sila",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мяккая сіла"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "軟實力"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "ruǎnshílì",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "软实力"
},
{
"code": "da",
"lang": "Danish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "blød magt"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "pehmeä valta"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "soft power"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "puissance douce"
},
{
"code": "ka",
"lang": "Georgian",
"roman": "rbili ʒala",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "რბილი ძალა"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "Soft Power"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "weiche Macht"
},
{
"code": "id",
"lang": "Indonesian",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "kekuatan lunak"
},
{
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "sofuto-pawā",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "ソフト・パワー"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"word": "kuasa lunak"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"note": "no equivalent term in Polish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc."
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "but see siła"
},
{
"code": "ro",
"lang": "Romanian",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "putere moale"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjáxkaja síla",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мя́гкая си́ла"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "mjáxkaja vlastʹ",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"feminine"
],
"word": "мя́гкая власть"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"masculine"
],
"word": "poder blando"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "political influence that is extended by means of diplomacy, international assistance, cultural exchanges, etc.",
"tags": [
"common-gender"
],
"word": "mjuk makt"
}
],
"word": "soft power"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-01 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (f4fd8c9 and c9440ce). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
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