Meaning
can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)
Chinese: 表示可以、能够、许可，也可作语气强调。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “ke” becomes a different word in each tone. 可 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 可以kě yǐcan; may; possible; able to
- 可能kě néngmight (happen); possible; probable; possibility
- 可是kě shìbut; however; (used for emphasis) indeed
- 可爱kě àiadorable; cute; lovely
- 可怕kě pàawful; dreadful; fearful; formidable
Example Sentence
这里的风景可真美。Zhè lǐ de fēng jǐng kě zhēn měi.The scenery here is really beautiful.
这里Zhè lǐhere的deof风景fēng jǐngscenery可kě(prefix) can真zhēnreally美měi(bound form) the Americas 。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
A mouth (口) with a breath/approval stroke: to give the nod — ‘can, may; to approve; certainly’. It is the sound part in 河, 何, 歌.
A way to remember it
A mouth giving the nod — can, may.
Easy to confuse with
- 河‘River’: 可 (sound) with the water radical 氵.