Where does “水力” come from?

水力 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 水, from Old Japanese 水, from Proto-Japonic *mentu — water.

水力 (Japanese): waterpower, hydraulic power

Definitions

  1. waterpower, hydraulic power

Ancestry of “水力”, step by step

水力 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 水

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese水water; drinking water; a fluid, liquid
2Old Japanese水water
3Proto-Japonic*mentuwater

via Japanese 力

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese力strength; power; force; force; ability; capacity
2Middle Chinese力strength, power
Every word from Proto-Japonic *mentu →Every word from Old Japanese 水 →Every word from Japanese 水 →