可 meaning in English

kě

(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit

HSK 5adverbconjunction5 strokes

Meaning of 可

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

kě

(prefix) can; may; able to; -able
to approve; to permit
to suit
(particle used for emphasis) certainly; very
but; however

kè

used in 可汗[ke4 han2]

How to use 可

可 most often appears inside words like 可以 (kěyǐ, can), 可能 (kěnéng, possible), and works like English "-able" in 可爱 (kě'ài, lovable, cute) and 可靠 (kěkào, reliable). On its own in speech it adds emphasis or means "but." Example: 这个菜可好吃了。(Zhège cài kě hǎochī le.) This dish is really delicious.

Picture a mouth 口 (kǒu) tucked under a hook-like stroke, as if someone opens their mouth to say "OK, you can." A mouth giving permission helps you remember 可 means can, may, or approve.

Common mistake: Learners often confuse 可 with 司 (sī), which faces the other way with its opening on the left side. Also, emphatic 可 usually pairs with 了 or 呢 at the end, as in 可好了, and dropping that ending can sound unnatural.

可 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

你nǐ可kě以yǐ再zài说shuō一yī次cì吗ma？

Would you mind saying that once more?

我wǒ今jīn晚wǎn可kě以yǐ去qù看kàn电diàn影yǐng吗ma?

May I go to the movies tonight?

你nǐ们men可kě以yǐ帮bāng我wǒ们men吗ma？

Can you help out?

我wǒ可kě以yǐ帮bāng你nǐ打dǎ电diàn话huà。

I can make a call if you like.

这zhè不bù可kě能néng是shì真zhēn的de。

This can't be real.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

可 kě · can · 5 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 可.

可以	kěyǐ	can; may
可能	kěnéng	might (happen); possible
可是	kěshì	but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed
可爱	kě'ài	adorable; cute
可怕	kěpà	awful; dreadful
可靠	kěkào	reliable
可乐	kělè	amusing; entertaining
认可	rènkě	to approve; approval
可见	kějiàn	it can clearly be seen (that this is the case); it is (thus) clear
可怜	kělián	pitiful; pathetic
可惜	kěxī	it is a pity; what a pity
尽可能	jìn kěnéng	as far as possible; to the best of one's ability

Questions about 可

What does 可 mean?

可 (kě) means "(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit" and is used as a adverb and conjunction.

How do you write 可?

可 is made of 1 character: 可 (5 strokes). That is 5 strokes in total.

Is 可 an HSK word?

Yes. 可 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

What is the difference between 可 and 可是?

Both can mean "but," but 可是 (kěshì) is the full, common spoken form. Single 可 as "but" sounds more compact or literary, and in speech single 可 is more often used for emphasis.

When is 可 pronounced kè instead of kě?

Only in the word 可汗 (kèhán), the historical title khan used by Mongol and Turkic rulers. In all everyday words it is kě, third tone.