可能

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 可能 (kěnéng) is a compound word consisting of two characters: 可 (kě) and 能 (néng). The character 可 means "can" or "may", while the character 能 means "able" or "capable". Together, the two characters mean "possible" or "likely".The word 可能 is first recorded in the Chinese dictionary Shuowen Jiezi, which was compiled in the 2nd century AD. In this dictionary, the word is defined as "what can be done". The word 可能 is also used in the Chinese classic text Mencius, which was written in the 4th century BC. In this text, the word is used to mean "possible" or "likely".The word 可能 is commonly used in modern Chinese to express possibility or likelihood. For example, the sentence 他可能来 (tā kěnéng lái) means "he may come". The sentence 这是可能的 (zhè shì kěnéng de) means "this is possible".The word 可能 can also be used to express permission or ability. For example, the sentence 你可以进来 (nǐ kěyǐ jìnlái) means "you may come in". The sentence 我能做这件事 (wǒ néng zuò zhè jiàn shì) means "I can do this".The word 可能 is a versatile word that can be used to express a variety of meanings. It is an important word for HSK learners to know.