勢 - POWERfully Make Circles of Earth

Readings & Meanings:

いきお（−い）

セイ

power

Common Usage:

勢いよく

勢力

Examples:

魚が勢い良く跳ねる。

ローマ大国の勢力範囲を調べる。

Translations:

The fish leaps vigorously in the water.

I'm going to research the extent of the Roman Empire's influence.

Bonus:

I like to memorize words that make themselves easy to remember. 勢 has a 力 radical on the bottom--careful, the one on the top is not 力 but 丸. So, if I memorize 勢力, I can remember the repeated shape more easily.

References:

http://www.thejapanesepage.com/kanji/kanji/i.htm