What does "强横" mean when it is used to describe an inanimate things?

Question

强横实力

From zdic, 强横 means "brutal and unreasonable", which does make sense. However, at the end of the line, it also adds "describes a person like that".

But if it is used as a description for something like strength which isn't something that is living, how would it make sense then? I mean, how can "strength" be "unreasonable"?

If that doesn't work, would something like "overwhelmingly strong" work as well?

EDIT: Somewhat related, but does 強橫 always have a negative implication, similar to perhaps "savage" or "uncontrolled" rather than a neutral "strong"?

Answer 1

zdic says 强横: 骄横跋扈;强硬蛮横。亦指这样的人.

亦指这样的人 is not very clear. I suspect what it means is that in addition to functioning as a modifier (brutal and unreasonable), 强横 can also function as a nominal by itself (a brutal and unreasonable person). It doesn't give an example of this, however.

强横 refers to a type of person, or perhaps actions or policies that people implement. I don't think it could refer to something inanimate, or even an animal.

zdic glosses 横 as 'unreasonable'. 横 refers to someone who goes straight ahead without following a road or path (reason or morality).

I also don't think 强 really means strong here; it is more like the 强 in 強盜 'robber'. The MOE 國語辭典 defines this sense of 强 as 橫暴.

In any case, 强横 is never going to be neutral, just like 霸道 or 講理 are not neutral. Someone who is 强横 is a bad guy.

Answer 2

强横 as a noun referring to a brutal persion is an old Chinese expression. In modern Chinese, it often is used as a modifier.

Answer 3

I didn't see it reasonable to put 强横 in front of 实力 (strength, power), for 强横 is nearly always used to describe a PERSON, not an inanimate thing. The examples used by NS.X. and wpt are all from ancient contexts, and this word is used as a noun, meaning "something that is strong and brutal". This usage is very common in thousands of years ago, not today.
In today's context, the following expression are used:
他很强横。(He is quite rude and unreasonable.)
Thus 强横 is only used to modify a person.
And, as you can see from the translation, 强横 is definitely negative, even more negative than its ancient meaning.