可 — but
but; (emphasis particle)
How to pronounce it
可 is read kě. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “可”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 可. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 明天你可以来吗míngtiānnǐkěyǐláimaCan you come tomorrow?
- 这样写，可以吗？zhèyàngxiě,kěyǐmaIs it OK to write it like this?
- 这只小猫真可爱zhèzhīxiǎomāozhēnkě’àiWhat a cute kitten!
- 我可以用一下你的手机吗？wǒkěyǐyòngyíxiànǐdeshǒujīmaCan I use your phone?
- 茶或者咖啡都可以。cháhuòzhěkāfēidōukěyǐTea or coffee — either is fine.
- 我可以试一下吗？wǒkěyǐshìyíxiàmaCan I try it on?
More characters by topic — happiness, luck, strength, nature — on the page “Chinese characters with meanings”.
More words from the lesson “Objecting and judging”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
What does 可 mean?
可 (kě) means “but; (emphasis particle)”.
How do you write 可?
可 is 1 character. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 可?
可 is read kě. Tones: kě — third tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“but” in the lesson “Objecting and judging”
This word is from the topic “Health and wrap-up” of HSK 3. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
Start for free