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可知 (kě zhī) — (adjective) knowable; that can be known; (adverb) evidently; it can be seen that; obviously

Definition

可知 is a formal written marker meaning 'it can be seen that' — used in logical or argumentative text to signal a conclusion from the preceding evidence. Read as a fixed predicate, not as two separate words.

adjective
knowablethat can be known
adverb
evidentlyit can be seen thatobviously

Examples

  • 可知。
    Zhè ge dào lǐ shì kě zhī de.
    This principle is knowable.
  • 可知，。
    Yóu shí yàn jié guǒ kě zhī, zhè zhǒng fāng fǎ shì yǒu xiào de.
    From the experiment results, it is evident that this method is effective.
  • 可知，。
    Yóu cǐ kě zhī, jīng jì wèn tí jiě jué le.
    From this, it can be seen that the economic problem has been solved.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

An early form of 知 showed 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to a child to pass on knowledge. The 子 part was dropped, and the 大 part changed shape.

Open 知 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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