肯 meaning and stroke order
To agree; to consent; to be willing to
How to write 肯, stroke by stroke
8 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
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 肯
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to agree; to consent
- to be willing to
- old variant of 肯[ken3]
How 肯 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To stop 止 flexing one's muscles ⺼.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 肯
肯 has 止 (zhǐ, stop) on top of ⺼ (flesh, muscle). The etymology hint says it is to stop flexing one's muscles, so picture someone who stops resisting and relaxes into agreeing.
肯 is a helping verb placed before another verb to show willingness, and it is very common in the negative 不肯 (bù kěn), meaning to refuse. It also appears in 肯定 (kěndìng), meaning definitely or to affirm. Example: 他不肯告诉我。(Tā bù kěn gàosu wǒ.) He refuses to tell me.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 上 or forget that the bottom is ⺼ (flesh), not 月 the moon, even though they look alike in print. Also, 肯 is not just a stronger 想 (xiǎng). It means being willing to do something you might resist, so 你肯帮我吗 sounds like asking whether someone is willing despite reluctance.
Common words with 肯
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 肯定 | kěndìng | to be certain; to be positive; assuredly; definitely | HSK 5 |
| 不肯 | bù kěn | HSK 7-9 |
肯 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 肯
Learning 肯 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 肯
How many strokes are in 肯?
肯 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 肯 mean?
肯 (kěn) means to agree; to consent; to be willing to. A common word with it is 肯定 (kěndìng), meaning "to be certain; to be positive; assuredly; definitely".
How do you pronounce 肯?
肯 is pronounced kěn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 肯?
The radical of 肯 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 肯 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 肯?
The traditional form of 肯 is 肎. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 肯 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 肯 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 肯 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 肯 and 愿意?
Both mean willing. 愿意 (yuànyì) is neutral and can stand alone as an answer, while 肯 is more colloquial and often stresses overcoming reluctance, especially in 不肯.
Does 肯定 mean the same thing as 肯?
No. 肯定 (kěndìng) usually means definitely or certainly, as in 他肯定会来 (tā kěndìng huì lái), he will definitely come. It can also mean to affirm or approve of someone's work.