can in Chinese

How to write 能

Animated stroke order. Tap a character to replay its stroke order.

能 is listed in the official HSK vocabulary at HSK 1. The beginner band covers the first, most essential words every learner needs.

能 in a sentence

• 我wǒ能néng帮bāng你nǐ吗ma？

  Can I help you?

• 他tā现xiàn在zài不bù能néng走zǒu路lù。

  He cannot walk right now.

• 你nǐ能néng听tīng见jiàn我wǒ吗ma？

  Can you hear me?

能 vs 会 vs 可以

Similar and easily confused words, and how they differ.

• 会 huì can (learned skill); will

  能 is ability or feasibility now — 我能来 'I can come'. 会 is a learned skill or a prediction; for 'can go today' use 能 or 可以.

• 可以 kě yǐ may; to be allowed to

  可以 is about permission, 能 about ability — 你能去吗 asks 'can you go', 你可以去 grants 'you may go'.