可用 (kě yòng) — available; usable | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

verb

availableusable

Examples

可用？
Zhè ge fáng jiān xiàn zài hái kě yòng ma?
Is this room still available now?
可用。
Zhè xiē zī liào dōu shì kě yòng de.
These materials are all usable.
，可用。
Xì tǒng tí shì nèi cún bù zú, dàn méi yǒu kě yòng de xuǎn xiàng.
The system says there's insufficient memory, but there's no available option.

Origin

Derived word

构词法gòucífǎ

前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

可 (can) and 用 (use) combine to mean able to be used.

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

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.

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

用 was formed by adding a handle to an earlier form.

Appears in

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