Meaning of 能够
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to be capable of
- to be able to
- can
How to use 能够
能够 is a slightly more formal or emphatic version of 能 (néng), placed before a verb to show ability or possibility. It is common in writing, speeches, and polite speech. Example: 我希望能够帮助你。(Wǒ xīwàng nénggòu bāngzhù nǐ.) I hope I can help you.
能 (néng) means able, and 够 (gòu) means enough, as in 足够 (zúgòu). Put them together: you have enough ability to do something, so you can.
Common mistake: Learners often write 够 with 句 on the left and 多 on the right in the wrong order, or confuse it with 多 alone. Also, 能够 is not used for learned skills in casual speech the way 会 (huì) is, so 我会说中文 sounds more natural than 我能够说中文 when talking about knowing a language.
能够 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
能 néng · can · 10 strokes
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够 gòu · enough · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 能够.
| 可能 | kěnéng | might (happen); possible |
| 只能 | zhǐ néng | can only; obliged to do sth |
| 不够 | bùgòu | not enough; insufficient |
| 才能 | cáinéng | talent; ability |
| 能力 | nénglì | capability; ability |
| 足够 | zúgòu | enough; sufficient |
| 功能 | gōngnéng | function; capability |
| 能不能 | néng bu néng | |
| 能干 | nénggàn | capable; competent |
| 智能 | zhìnéng | intelligent; able |
| 能量 | néngliàng | energy; capabilities |
| 尽可能 | jìn kěnéng | as far as possible; to the best of one's ability |
Questions about 能够
What does 能够 mean?
能够 (nénggòu) means "to be capable of; to be able to" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 能够?
能够 is made of 2 characters: 能 (10 strokes), 够 (11 strokes). That is 21 strokes in total.
Is 能够 an HSK word?
Yes. 能够 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 能够 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 能够 is written 能夠.
What is the difference between 能够 and 可以?
能够 focuses on ability or capability, while 可以 (kěyǐ) often means permission, as in 你可以走了 (You may go now). For asking permission, use 可以 instead of 能够.
How do you say cannot with 能够?
Put 不 in front: 不能够 (bù nénggòu). In everyday speech people usually just say 不能 (bù néng), for example 我不能来 (Wǒ bù néng lái), I can't come.