v., adj.
can; may; passable; not bad
可以
can; may; passable; not bad
Expresses permission ('you may'), physical possibility ('it can be done'), or a relaxed evaluation ('pretty decent / passable').
Common Usage & Traps
- 可以吗 — Is it okay? / May I? — the everyday permission check
- 不可以 — Not allowed / can't (rules, signs, parents talking to kids)
- 还可以 — It's okay / not bad / nothing special
- 可以坐吗 — May I sit? — permission with an HSK 1 verb
-
我可以游泳我会游泳Swimming is a learned skill, so Chinese uses 会. 可以 here sounds like 'I'm allowed to swim' — as if a lifeguard just gave you permission.
-
我病了，所以不可以游泳我病了，所以不能游泳Being sick is a physical condition, not a rule. 能 covers 'my body won't let me'; 可以 would sound like someone banned you from the pool.
-
可以下雨吗会下雨吗Weather is a prediction, so use 会. 可以下雨吗 sounds like you are asking permission for rain.
What is the real difference between 会, 能, and 可以 when English just says 'can'?
Use 会 for learned skills or predictions, 能 for body or circumstances, and 可以 for permission or polite suggestions.
English uses one word for many kinds of can. Chinese splits the job by meaning. 会 is for learned skills or predictions like 我会游泳 and 明天会下雨. 能 is for physical ability or circumstances like 我今天病了不能游泳. 可以 is for permission or polite suggestions like 这里可以坐吗.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Learned skill | 我会游泳 | 我可以游泳 (sounds like permission) |
| Prediction | 明天会下雨 | 明天可以下雨 (sounds like allowed) |
| Body or circumstances | 我病了不能游泳 | 我病了不可以游泳 (sounds banned) |
| Permission | 这里可以坐吗 | 这里会坐吗 (nonsense) |
Can 可以 mean 'not bad' in 还可以 when a friend asks how the food is?
Yes: 还可以 means 'just okay' or 'not bad', especially when judging food, a movie, or your day.
The same two characters can mean two things. As a permission word, 可以 asks if something is allowed. In 还可以, it means passable, fine, or nothing special. Tone decides whether your friend hears 'may I' or 'it's okay'.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Asking permission | 我可以吃吗 | 我还可以吃吗 (means can I still eat) |
| Judging food | 还可以，不难吃 | 可以，不难吃 (sounds like permission) |
| Judging a movie | 还可以，一般般 | 可以，一般般 (less natural) |
Why can 你可以帮我吗 sound less warm than 能不能帮我?
It is not rude, but 能不能帮我 usually sounds warmer and more pleading than 你可以帮我吗.
可以 alone is fine for asking permission. For favors, it can sound like you are checking whether the person is allowed to help. 能不能 asks willingness or ability, so it often feels softer. Adding 一下 also makes the request less heavy.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Asking permission | 我可以坐这儿吗 | 我可以坐这儿 (not a question) |
| Asking a favor | 能不能帮我一下 | 你可以帮我吗 (not wrong, but cooler) |
| Softer favor | 可不可以帮我一下 | 可以帮我 (sounds like a command) |
Is 不可以 too harsh for everyday 'no'?
不可以 is for rules and signs; for friends, 不行 or 不方便 usually sounds softer.
Textbooks teach 可以 and 不可以 as a clean pair. Real speech uses 不可以 for rules, signs, and adult-to-child warnings. When you decline a friend, 不行 or 不方便 sounds more normal. 不可以 can feel like a rule being enforced.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sign or rule | 这里不可以吃 | 这里不行吃 (broken) |
| Declining a friend | 不行，我有事 | 不可以，我有事 (too stiff) |
| Polite refusal | 下次吧 | 不可以 (too blunt) |
Appears in Stories 15 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
-
Ａ： 可以 问你几个问题吗？
-
Ｂ： 可以 ，请说。
In this warm dialogue, a parent introduces their family at a restaurant. A teacher gently corrects common mistakes about family words and names, making it perfect for HSK 2 learners.
-
他姓钱，我们都喜欢叫他“老钱”，您 可以 叫他“小钱”。
Meet Gao Youpeng, a friendly Beijing coworker who welcomes the narrator with local dishes and a simple language-exchange plan. This warm HSK 2 story is perfect for first readings about work and friendship.
-
他说周六 可以 教我做几个北京菜。
-
高友朋的英语不好，我想我 可以 和他一起学习。
Before you start learning Chinese, master the most important phrases: greetings. This short dialogue shows you how to say hello and goodbye, and how to respond politely.
-
不好意思，也 可以 。
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
-
“那，我 可以 一个人玩儿”。
Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.
-
误会二：方便面没有什么营养事实上，除了刚出生的小宝宝 可以 只吃一种食物获得全部营养以外，没有任何人 可以 从单一一种食物中获得全部的营养。
-
就是说，没有任何一种食物 可以 提供全面营养，也就没有任何人只吃一种食物就 可以 完全满足身体的需要。
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
-
可现在的茶馆虽然还是 可以 喝茶，但是去那儿的人大多不是老北京。
-
因为在那儿 可以 一边喝茶，一边看表演，看唱歌、跳舞什么的。
Is four years to reach HSK 5 fast or slow? Follow a conversation between two learners as they compare study hours and share realistic strategies for busy adults.
-
汉语是“说汉语”，也 可以 “听汉语”；但是中文是“读中文”，中文和汉字都是眼睛在看。
-
B：我们说话的时候，只说“汉语”就 可以 了，就是说“中文老师、汉语老师”都 可以 。
Join a beginner as they ask a Chinese friend to teach them how to cook. This simple HSK 1 dialogue shows that learning one dish at a time is the best way to start.
-
小米说：“这没问题，你 可以 一个一个学习。”
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
-
信中说：“你提出的问题太大，我不能给你一个 可以 使我自己认为满意的解释。
-
如有我 可以 帮你小忙的事，如找你自己找不着的书之类，我一定很愿意做，”从此，元真便成了博士胡之适的“我的朋友”了。
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
-
家人、朋友关系好，“谢谢”、“您”、“请”太客气，在家说话不客气， 可以 不说“您和请”。
Follow a day from waking at six-thirty to coming home at eight, then leap across days, months, and years. This simple story helps you practice speaking about routines and life changes with clear time words.
-
后年 可以 买新房。
Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.
-
说“哪里”就 可以 。
-
“哪儿”也 可以 。
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
-
零百千万亿， 可以 医椅衣。
Before you read, try clapping the rhythm. This poem introduces the days of the week and a fun secret: Chinese has two names for Sunday, but no 'Week Seven'!
-
星期天，星期日，两个名字都 可以 。
-
你想知道星期几， 可以 问他星期几。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
No questions or discussions yet. Have a question about this character/word? Be the first to ask!