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可以 (kě yǐ) — can， may (expressing permission or ability); not bad， pretty good (adjective)

Definition

可以 has two distinct uses: as a modal it means 'can, may' (permission or ability), slightly more formal than 能; as an adjective it means 'not bad, pretty good', similar to 不错.

canmay (expressing permission or ability)not badpretty good (adjective)

Examples

  • 可以？
    Wǒ kě yǐ hē shuǐ ma?
    May I drink some water?
  • 可以。
    Wǒ kě yǐ chī hěn duō.
    I can eat a lot.
  • 可以。
    Zhè ge cài hái kě yǐ.
    This dish is not bad.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

可kěcan
以yǐ

The word expresses permission or ability; 可 carries the sense of being able, while 以 adds no separate meaning.

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

Open 以 →

Grammar

Appears in
100 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 3.0 Level 1500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 21000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsGood & Bad

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