可 meaning and stroke order
(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit
How to write 可, stroke by stroke
5 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 3
- 4
- 5
Meaning of 可
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (prefix) can; may; able to; -able
- to approve; to permit
- to suit
- (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very
- but; however
- used in 可汗[ke4 han2]
How 可 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Vigorous.
丁 gives the meaning and 口 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 可
可 is built from 丁 (dīng), which the data links to the idea of vigorous, and 口 (kǒu), a mouth, which gives the sound. Picture a strong, confident mouth saying yes: you can, you may.
可 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It usually appears in words like 可以 (kěyǐ, can, may) and 可能 (kěnéng, possible), or as a prefix meaning -able, as in 可爱 (kě'ài, lovable, cute) and 可怕 (kěpà, frightening). Example: 我可以进来吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?) May I come in?
Common mistake: Learners often write 可 like 司 (sī) or 号 (hào). In 可 the 口 sits inside the frame of 丁, with the long vertical hook on the right. Also note that 可 alone can sound strong or emphatic in speech, so use 可以 (kěyǐ) when you simply mean can or may.
Common words with 可
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can; may | HSK 2 |
| 可能 | kěnéng | might (happen); possible | HSK 2 |
| 可是 | kěshì | but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed | HSK 2 |
| 可爱 | kě'ài | adorable; cute | HSK 2 |
| 可怕 | kěpà | awful; dreadful | HSK 2 |
| 可靠 | kěkào | reliable | HSK 3 |
| 可乐 | kělè | amusing; entertaining | HSK 3 |
| 认可 | rènkě | to approve; approval | HSK 3 |
| 可见 | kějiàn | it can clearly be seen (that this is the case); it is (thus) clear | HSK 4 |
| 可怜 | kělián | pitiful; pathetic | HSK 5 |
| 可惜 | kěxī | it is a pity; what a pity | HSK 5 |
| 尽可能 | jìn kěnéng | as far as possible; to the best of one's ability | HSK 5 |
| 许可 | xǔkě | to allow; to permit | HSK 5 |
| 可不是 | kěbùshi | (coll.) exactly!; indeed; that's for sure | HSK 7-9 |
可 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 可
Learning 可 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 可
How many strokes are in 可?
可 is written with 5 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 可 mean?
可 (kě) means (prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit. A common word with it is 可以 (kěyǐ), meaning "can; may".
How do you pronounce 可?
可 is pronounced kě, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 可?
The radical of 可 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 可 under this radical.
Is 可 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 可 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What does 可 mean at the start of a sentence like 你可要小心？
Here 可 is an emphatic particle meaning really or be sure to. 你可要小心 (nǐ kě yào xiǎoxīn) means you really must be careful.
Is 可 ever pronounced kè?
Yes, but only in the word 可汗 (kèhán), the title khan used for rulers of steppe peoples. Everywhere else it is kě.