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可 (kě) — (adverb) used for emphasis: really, certainly, very; (conjunction) but, however

Definition

Here 可 is a literary word, not the everyday 可以. As an adverb it means 'really, certainly' for emphasis; as a conjunction it means 'but, however'. Compared to 可能 ('possibly'), 可 expresses certainty, not possibility.

adverb
used for emphasis: reallycertainlyvery
conjunction
buthowever
Easily confused

Examples

  • 可。
    Tā pǎo dé kě kuài le.
    He runs really fast.
  • ，。
    Tā hěn cōng ming, kě bú yòng gōng.
    He is very smart, but he doesn't work hard.
  • 。
    Wǒ kě bù xiǎng qù.
    I really don't want to go.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3500 Most Frequent Chinese Words1000 Most Frequent Chinese Words2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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