可 (kě)
can/may/able to/cute (in compounds)
How 可 is written
- Strokes
- 5
- Radical
- 一 — one
- Traditional
- 可
- Simplified
- 可 (unchanged)
可 has 2 readings
The pronunciation changes with the meaning, so the reading has to be learned per word.
- kě
- can; may; able to; to approve
- kè
- see 可汗[ke4 han2]
Common words using 可
- 可以 kěyǐ
- can; may; possible
- 可是 kěshì
- but; however
- 可能 kěnéng
- might (happen); possible; probable
- 可怕 kěpà
- awful; dreadful; fearful
- 可悲 kěbēi
- lamentable
- 可惜 kěxī
- it is a pity; what a pity; unfortunately
- 可惡 kěwù
- repulsive; vile; hateful
- 可愛 kěài
- adorable; cute; lovely
- 可憐 kělián
- pitiful; pathetic; to have pity on
- 可樂 kělè
- amusing; entertaining; cola
- 寧可 nìngkě
- preferably; one would prefer to...(or not to...); would rather
- 無懈可擊 wúxièkějī
- invulnerable
可 in a sentence
這隻小狗真可愛。
Zhè zhī xiǎogǒu zhēn kě'ài.
“This puppy is really cute.”
How common is 可?
可 is the 30th most frequent character in written Chinese. Characters up to this rank account for about 24% of all running text.
Characters that appear with 可
Master 可 and 5,000 others.
Flashcards and Writing Practice. Every single character in A Course in Contemporary Chinese 當代中文課程.
可
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