可以 (permission with 'keyi')

• Pinyin: kěyǐ
• Formation: Subject + (不) + 可以 + Verb + Object
• Hanzi breakdown: 可 = 口 (mouth) + 丁 (nail/sturdy) — to approve verbally; 以 = originally a pictograph of a person carrying something

Meaning

The auxiliary verb 可以 (kěyǐ) expresses permission, ability, or possibility. It is placed before the main verb to mean 'can,' 'may,' or 'is allowed to.'

While both 可以 and 能 (néng) can translate to 'can' in English, they have different nuances. 可以 primarily conveys permission or acceptability — whether something is allowed or feasible. 能 focuses more on physical ability or learned skill. For example, 你可以走了 means 'You may leave now' (permission), while 他能跑十公里 means 'He can run ten kilometers' (ability). To negate 可以, use 不可以 (not allowed) or 不能 (cannot). In questions, 可以 is used to ask for permission politely: 我可以坐这里吗？ ('May I sit here?'). It is essential for daily interactions involving rules, requests, and possibilities.

Examples

1. 你可以先走。 You can go first.
2. 这里不可以拍照。 Photography is not allowed here.
3. 周末我们可以去公园。 We can go to the park this weekend.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday, service

Tone: informative

Do Say

• 你可以用我的手机打电话。
• 考试的时候不可以看手机。
• 这个座位可以坐吗？
• 下班以后我们可以去看电影。

Don't Say

• 我可以说中文很好。(可以 expresses permission or possibility, not ability level — use 能 or just say 我中文说得很好) → 我能说中文。
• 他可以跑得很快。(For describing physical ability or skill level, 能 or 会 is more appropriate than 可以) → 他能跑得很快。

Origin & History

The word 可以 is composed of 可 (acceptable, permissible) and 以 (by means of, to use). Together they form a compound meaning 'it is acceptable to' — a usage documented as early as the Warerta period texts.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal