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We want to assist China's soft power; we want to develop a vibrant young cinema in China. The average American has no understanding whatsoever of China. We'd like to create a young generation to tell their stories on a world stage. We can make history as well as make money.
Robert Friedland

Meaning of "soft power" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF SOFT POWER

soft power play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SOFT POWER

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Soft power is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES SOFT POWER MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Soft power

Soft power is a concept developed by Joseph Nye of Harvard University to describe the ability to attract and co-opt rather than coerce, use force or give money as a means of persuasion. In recent days the term has also been used in changing and influencing social and public opinion through relatively less transparent channels and lobbying through powerful political and non-political organizations. Nye coined the term in a 1990 book, Bound to Lead: The Changing Nature of American Power. He further developed the concept in his 2004 book, Soft Power: The Means to Success in World Politics. The term is now widely used in international affairs by analysts and statesmen. For example, in 2007, CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao told the 17th Communist Party Congress that China needed to increase its soft power, and the US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates spoke of the need to enhance American soft power by "a dramatic increase in spending on the civilian instruments of national security – diplomacy, strategic communications, foreign assistance, civic action and economic reconstruction and development.

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE SOFT POWER

soft loan
soft margarine
soft money
soft on
soft option
soft palate
soft paste
soft pedal
soft pencil
soft porn
soft release
soft roe
soft rot
soft sawder
soft science
soft sell
soft shoulder
soft sign
soft skills
soft soap

WORDS THAT END LIKE SOFT POWER

electrical power
empower
firepower
flower
flower power
girl power
green power
horsepower
hydroelectric power
hydropower
manpower
nuclear power
power
pulling power
purchasing power
solar power
spending power
superpower
thermal power
willpower
wind power

Synonyms and antonyms of soft power in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «soft power» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF SOFT POWER

Find out the translation of soft power to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of soft power from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «soft power» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

软实力
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

poder blando
570 millions of speakers

English

soft power
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

सॉफ्ट पावर
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

القوة الناعمة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

мягкая сила
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

soft power
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

কোমল ক্ষমতা
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

soft power
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Kuasa lembut
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

Soft Power
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

ソフトパワー
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

소프트 파워
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Daya lembut
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

quyền lực mềm
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

மென்மையான சக்தி
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

सॉफ्ट पॉवर
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

yumuşak güç
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

soft power
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

soft power
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

м´яка сила
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

soft power
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

μαλακή δύναμη
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

sagte krag
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

mjuka makt
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

myk makt
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of soft power

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «SOFT POWER»

The term «soft power» is regularly used and occupies the 83.519 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
61
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «soft power» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of soft power
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «soft power».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «SOFT POWER» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «soft power» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «soft power» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about soft power

EXAMPLES

5 QUOTES WITH «SOFT POWER»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word soft power.
1
Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned
Education can also be used as a soft power and as a soft force to transform societies. When I say transform societies it means we can tackle issues in political, social, cultural, economic areas. These are the most important things.
2
Robert Friedland
We want to assist China's soft power; we want to develop a vibrant young cinema in China. The average American has no understanding whatsoever of China. We'd like to create a young generation to tell their stories on a world stage. We can make history as well as make money.
3
Ellen Gustafson
I was studying International Relations at Columbia when 9/11 happened, and it made me want understand the security dynamics of the world. I had been more focused on soft power issues - understanding different cultures and such - but once 9/11 happened, I felt like I didn't know anything about security problems.
4
Tom Ridge
One of America's greatest strengths is the soft power of our value system and how we treat prisoners of war, and we don't torture.
5
Shashi Tharoor
The Beijing Olympics were an exercise in Chinese soft power. Americans have the 'Voice of America' and the Fulbright scholarships. But, the fact is, in fact, that probably Hollywood and MTV and McDonalds have done more for American soft power around the world than any specifically government activity.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SOFT POWER»

Discover the use of soft power in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to soft power and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Soft Power: The Means To Success in World Politics
And it is soft power that will help us deal with critical global issues that require multilateral cooperation among states. That is why it is so essential that America better understands and applies our soft power. This book is our guide.
Joseph S. Nye, 2009
2
Charm Offensive: How China's Soft Power is Transforming the ...
Though much has been written of China's imminent rise, a crucial aspect of this transformation has gone largely unnoticed: how China uses soft power--diplomacy, trade, cultural and educational exchange opportunities, and other techniques- ...
Joshua Kurlantzick, 2007
3
The Rhetoric of Soft Power: Public Diplomacy in Global Contexts
The book explores the notion of soft power as set of theoretical arguments about power, and as a reflection of how each country perceives what is an increasingly necessary perspective on international relations in an age of ubiquitous ...
Craig Hayden, 2012
4
Chinese Soft Power and Its Implications for the United ...
China has been pursuing its national interests recently through the exercise of “soft power,” as it projects a nonconfrontational face to the developing world.
Carola McGiffert, 2009
5
China's Soft Power and International Relations
It draws on case studies of the Chinese diplomatic practice and utilizes world opinion polls. This volume offers a theoretical and empirical perspective on the discussion on soft power with a particular focus on China’s soft power.
Hongyi Lai, Yiyi Lu, 2012
6
Soft Power Superpowers: Cultural and National Assets of ...
The concept was introduced by Joseph Nye, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, who wrote the Foreword for this book.
Yasushi Watanabe, David L. McConnell, 2008
7
Information Operations: Warfare and the Hard Reality of Soft ...
Explains the critical importance of information operations in future conflict
Leigh Armistead, 2004
8
Communicating India's Soft Power: Buddha to Bollywood
This book, a pioneering attempt, from an international communication/media perspective, is aimed to fill the existing gap in scholarship in this area.
Daya Kishan Thussu, 2013
9
Religious Transnational Actors and Soft Power
This study looks at the dynamics of this new religious pluralism as it influences the global political landscape.
Professor Jeffrey Haynes, 2012
10
Diaspora Diplomacy: Philippine Migration and Its Soft Power ...
With compelling stories from Filipina and Filipino migrants in San Francisco, London, Dubai, Dhaka, and Singapore comprising the large Philippine diaspora, this book illustrates how this widespread community performs numerous acts of public ...
Joaquin Jay Gonzalez, III, 2011

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SOFT POWER»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term soft power is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Asia's Soft Power Deficit
In its inaugural “Soft Power 30” index announced on July 14, London-based communications consultancy Portland ranked Britain first, Germany second, and the ... «The Diplomat, Jul 15»
2
UK ranks top in soft power
Soft power is a form of global power that shuns traditional foreign policy carrot and stick methods. Instead achieving influence through building networks, the ... «economia, Jul 15»
3
The limits of Chinese soft power
In 2007, the then president Hu Jintao told the Communist Party that the country needed to increase its soft power. President Xi Jinping repeated the same ... «gulfnews.com, Jul 15»
4
Joseph Nye says Turkey has less soft power, less democracy
One of the world's leading thinkers on international politics, Joseph Nye, has said that Turkey has less soft power than it did a few years ago, noting that a ... «Today's Zaman, Apr 15»
5
Parliamentry panel discusses promoting India's soft power through …
NEW DELHI: Projecting India as a soft power through films would promote the country's diversity to the world through the medium of cinema, Union Minister Arun ... «Economic Times, Feb 15»
6
Hard truth about soft power
Soft power is, like so many trendy ideas in this country, an American invention. It originates with Harvard political scientist Joseph Nye, who basically argued that ... «Owen Sound Sun Times, Feb 15»
7
BBC Mocks John Kerry For James Taylor 'Soft Power' Diplomacy …
“I can't think of a better definition of 'soft power] than James Taylor blasting out across the universe to seduce us with his dulcet tones,” BBC Paris correspondent ... «Daily Caller, Jan 15»
8
Is US monopoly on the use of soft power at an end?
Instead, Prof Nye saw a US that "was the strongest nation not only in military and economic power, but also in a third dimension, I called soft power". He defined ... «BBC News, Nov 14»
9
Russia Today launches UK version in new soft power onslaught
It's about soft power for the Kremlin.” RT, in preparation for its UK launch, and the English language service of al-Jazeera, funded by the Qatari government, have ... «The Guardian, Nov 14»
10
Pope Francis' 'Soft Power' Diplomacy Aims to Bring Islam Into the …
... Albania to emphasize the successful inter-religious coalition government there marked another important expression of the Holy See's “soft power” diplomacy ... «TIME, Oct 14»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Soft power [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/soft-power>. Apr 2024 ».
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