能 néng — can; may; capable; energy; able
我能帮你拿行李吗？Wǒ néng bāng nǐ ná xíng li ma?Can I help you carry the luggage?
Common words: 可能 (kě néng)、能够 (néng gòu)、只能 (zhǐ néng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "capable"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "capable", including 能 (néng), 行 (xíng), 棒 (bàng). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "capable" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 能 (néng), 行 (xíng), 棒 (bàng) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span néng, xíng, bàng — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 能 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 能 néngcan; may; capable; energy; ableUseful words: 可能, 能够
- 行 xínga row; profession; professional; all right; capable; competentUseful words: 进行, 行动
- 棒 bànga stick; club or cudgel; smart; capable; strongUseful words: 棒球, 棍棒
Common words for these 3 "capable" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 能 (néng) — so "capable" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
可能kě néngmight (happen); possible; probable; possibility能够néng gòuto be capable of; to be able to; can只能zhǐ néngcan only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choice进行jìn xíng(of a process etc) to proceed; to be in progress; to be underway; (of people) to carry out行动xíng dòngoperation; action; to move about; mobile行为xíng wéiaction; conduct; behavior; activity棒球bàng qiúbaseball棍棒gùn bàngclub; staff; stick大棒dà bàngbig stick (policy etc)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "capable".
行 xíng — a row; profession; professional; all right; capable; competent
步行去学校只要十分钟。Bù xíng qù xué xiào zhǐ yào shí fēn zhōng.It takes only ten minutes to walk to school.
Common words: 进行 (jìn xíng)、行动 (xíng dòng)、行为 (xíng wéi)
棒 bàng — a stick; club or cudgel; smart; capable; strong
你这次考得真棒，进步很大！Nǐ zhè cì kǎo de zhēn bàng, jìn bù hěn dà!You did great on this exam; you have improved a lot!
Common words: 棒球 (bàng qiú)、棍棒 (gùn bàng)、大棒 (dà bàng)
All 3 characters
Open 能、行、棒 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.