可不可以 (kě bù kě yǐ) — asking whether something is possible or allowed; 'Can (I/you/we) or not?'

Definition

可不可以 is a yes/no question form used to politely ask permission or check whether something is allowed. It is softer and more tentative than 直接问 '可以吗' or statements like '能不能'.

verb
asking whether something is possible or allowed'Can (I/you/we) or not?'

Examples

  • 可不可以？
    Nǐ kě bù kě yǐ bāng wǒ yí gè máng?
    Can you help me?
  • 可不可以？
    Wǒ kě bù kě yǐ jìn lái?
    May I come in?
  • 可不可以？
    Wǒ men kě bù kě yǐ míng tiān zài tǎo lùn?
    Can we discuss it tomorrow?

Origin

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

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