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Comparing "hui" "neng" "keyi"
=============================

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    Similar to

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    -   [The use of Taiwanese Mandarin
        "hui"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/The_use_of_Taiwanese_Mandarin_%22hui%22) (B2)

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-   <div class="ibox-label">
    Used for

    </div>
    <div class="ibox-info">
    [Describing
    actions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_actions),
    [Expressing
    ability](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_ability),
    [Expressing
    possibility](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_possibility),
    [Expressing permission with
    "keyi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_permission_with_%22keyi%22),
    [Requesting](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Requesting)

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    Keywords

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    [会](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BC%9A),
    [能](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%83%BD),
    [可以](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%8F%AF%E4%BB%A5)

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    Translations

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    [can](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Can),
    [able](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Able)

    </div>

<div class="ibox-image">
[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-hui.jpg](Comparing%20%22hui%22%20%22neng%22%20%22keyi%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-hui.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-hui.jpg"){width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-hui.jpg)

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This is one of the trickiest comparisons, as 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and
可以 (kěyǐ) are often translated as "can." Sometimes they are explained
as: 会 means "know how to," 能 means "to be able to," and 可以 means "to
have permission to." Actually, they overlap somewhat.

<div id="toc" class="toc">
<div id="toctitle">
Contents
--------

<span class="toctoggle"> [hide]([# "wikilink")\] </span>

</div>
-   [<span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Basic
    Meanings</span>](#Basic_Meanings "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Expressing
    Ability</span>](#Expressing_Ability "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">2.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">2.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Expressing
    Permission</span>](#Expressing_Permission "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">3.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">3.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Expressing
    Possibility</span>](#Expressing_Possibility "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">4.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure_3 "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">4.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Example</span>](#Example "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">Talking
    about the Future</span>](#Talking_about_the_Future "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">5.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure_4 "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">5.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples_3 "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Using
    Adverbs to Add
    Emphasis</span>](#Using_Adverbs_to_Add_Emphasis "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">6.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure_5 "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">6.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples_4 "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">Similar
    Expression with Different
    Meanings</span>](#Similar_Expression_with_Different_Meanings "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">See
    also</span>](#See_also "wikilink")
-   [<span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Sources and
    further reading</span>](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">9.1</span>
        <span class="toctext">Books</span>](#Books "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">9.2</span>
        <span class="toctext">Dictionaries</span>](#Dictionaries "wikilink")
    -   [<span class="tocnumber">9.3</span>
        <span class="toctext">Websites</span>](#Websites "wikilink")

</div>
<span id="Basic_Meanings" class="mw-headline">Basic Meanings</span>
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The words 会, 能, and 可以 actually overlap a little in meaning. The
first step is to understand their basic meanings, though:

1.  会 can mean "know how to" and can express an action that you had to
    learn or be trained in to do.
2.  能 means "to be able to" and expresses having a certain ability or
    having obtained a certain minimum requirement.
3.  可以 means "may" or "to be allowed to" and expresses having another
    person's permission.

As for overlap, this graphic helps explain nicely:

[![Hui-neng-keyi-venn-diagram.png](Comparing%20%22hui%22%20%22neng%22%20%22keyi%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/Hui-neng-keyi-venn-diagram.png "fig:Hui-neng-keyi-venn-diagram.png"){width="800"
height="508"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Hui-neng-keyi-venn-diagram.png)

The regions marked by letters are explained in the sections below:

-   A: ability in the sense of “know how to” (会 is more common than 能)
-   B: permission/request (use 能 or 可以)
-   C: possibility (use 能 or 可以)
-   D: permission not granted (use 不可以)
-   E: impossibility (use 不能)

<span id="Expressing_Ability" class="mw-headline">Expressing Ability</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Both 会 and 能 can be used to express ability in something.

### <span id="Structure" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>

<div class="jiegou">
会/能 + Verb

</div>
### <span id="Examples" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>

<div class="liju">
-   我们 都 *会* 游泳 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu *huì*
    yóuyǒng.</span><span class="trans">We all know how to swim.</span>
-   他 不 *会* 修 电脑 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù *huì* xiū
    diànnǎo.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't know how to fix
    computers.</span>

</div>
<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span> 你 *会* 说 中文 吗
    ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ *huì* shuō Zhōngwén
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Can you speak Chinese?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span> 不 好意思 ,我 只 *会* 说 一点
    。<span class="pinyin">Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ zhǐ *huì* shuō
    yīdiǎn.</span><span class="trans">Sorry, I can only speak a
    little.</span>

</div>
<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span>你 *能* 吃 三 碗 米饭 吗
    ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ *néng* chī sān wǎn mǐfàn
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you able to eat three bowls of
    rice?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span> 不 *能* 。<span class="pinyin">Bù
    *néng*.</span><span class="trans">I can't.</span>

</div>
<span id="Expressing_Permission" class="mw-headline">Expressing Permission</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

可以 is used to ask for or give permission. However, 能 can also be used
to replace 可以 interchangeably.

**Note:** When a question is asked using 能 or 可以 it can be answered
with 不能 or 不可以, meaning no, and only 可以 meaning yes. Chinese
don't really answer with just 能.

### <span id="Structure_2" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>

<div class="jiegou">
可以 / 能 + Verb

</div>
### <span id="Examples_2" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>

<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span>老师 ,我 *可以* 早点 走 吗
    ?<span class="pinyin">Lǎoshī, wǒ *kěyǐ* zǎo diǎn zǒu
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Teacher, can I leave a little
    early?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span>不 可以 。<span class="pinyin">Bù
    *kěyǐ*.</span><span class="trans">No, you can't.</span>

</div>
<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span> 我 *能* 在 这里 抽烟 吗
    ?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ *néng* zài zhèlǐ chōuyān
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Can I smoke here?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span> 不 *能* 。<span class="pinyin">Bù
    *néng*.</span><span class="trans">No, you can't.</span>

</div>
<span id="Expressing_Possibility" class="mw-headline">Expressing Possibility</span>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.

### <span id="Structure_3" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>

<div class="jiegou">
可以 / 能 + Verb

</div>
### <span id="Example" class="mw-headline">Example</span>

<div class="liju">
-   明天 你 *能* 早点 来 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Míngtiān nǐ *néng*
    zǎodiǎn lái ma?</span><span class="trans">Is it possible for you to
    come a little earlier tomorrow?</span>
-   *可 不 可以* 换 一 个 ?<span class="pinyin">*Kě bu kěyǐ* huàn yī
    gè?</span><span class="trans">Is it possible to change it?</span>

</div>
<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span>外国人 *能 不 能* 参加
    ?<span class="pinyin">Wàiguó rén *néng bu néng*
    cānjiā?</span><span class="trans">Is it possible for foreigners to
    attend?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span> 不 *能* 。<span class="pinyin">Bù
    *néng*.</span><span class="trans">Not possible.</span>

</div>
<span id="Talking_about_the_Future" class="mw-headline">Talking about the Future</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Only 会 can be used to mean something is going to happen. It expresses
that something in the future will happen and is often used to express
trends or possibilities.

### <span id="Structure_4" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>

<div class="jiegou">
会 + Verb / Adj.

</div>
### <span id="Examples_3" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>

<div class="liju">
-   他 不 *会* 跟 你 结婚 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù *huì* gēn nǐ
    jiéhūn.</span><span class="trans">He's not going to marry
    you.</span>
-   你 *会* 生 我 的 气 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ *huì* shēng wǒ de
    qì ma?</span><span class="trans">Will you be mad at me?</span>
-   这样 穿 *会* 好看 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng chuān *huì*
    hǎokàn ma?</span><span class="trans">Will I look good if I dress
    like this?</span>

</div>
<div class="liju">
-   <span class="speaker">A:</span> 今天 *会* 下雨 吗
    ?<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān *huì* xiàyǔ
    ma?</span><span class="trans">Is it going to rain today?</span>
-   <span class="speaker">B:</span> 我看 不 *会*
    。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ kàn bù *huì*.</span><span class="trans">I
    don't think it will.</span>

</div>
<span id="Using_Adverbs_to_Add_Emphasis" class="mw-headline">Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis</span>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By placing 很 (hěn) before 会, it adds emphasis to the level of ability
and skill on the action presented. 很会 is commonly used to mean "to be
good at" and expresses being very skillful at something, or doing
something very well. It can be translated as "really can," as in "you
'really' can speak Chinese!" Another way to put it is, "You are good at
speaking Chinese."

When 很 is placed in front of 能, the meaning takes on a
amazed/surprised tone on the action. Although more rarely used, it
emphasizes quantity and amount. 很能 is most commonly used with 吃(chī)
to eat, and 睡 (shuì) to sleep. It's like the English equivalent of
saying you "can really" do something. For example saying that someone
"*can really* sleep" means that they can sleep a lot.

**Note:** 很可以 is not a phrase and therefore can not be used with 会
to add emphasis. Other adverbs like 真 (zhēn), 太 (tài), 这么 (zhème)
etc. can also be used.

### <span id="Structure_5" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>

<div class="jiegou">
很 + 会/能 + Verb

</div>
### <span id="Examples_4" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>

<div class="liju">
-   他 **很***能* 说 。<span class="pinyin">Tā **hěn** *néng*
    shuō.</span><span class="trans">He's quite a talker.</span>
-   我 妈妈 **很** *会* 做饭 。<span class="expl">My mom cooks very
    well.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ māma **hěn** *huì*
    zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">My mother really knows how to
    cook.</span>
-   她 才 五岁 ,但是 **很** *会* 说话 。<span class="expl">The subject
    has good speaking skills.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā cái wǔ suì,
    dànshì **hěn** *huì* shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">She's only
    five but she's a smooth talker.</span>
-   这个 女生 **很** *会* 打扮 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège nǚshēng
    **hěn** *huì* dǎban.</span><span class="trans">This girl knows how
    to dress up really well.</span>

</div>
Note that 很可以说 is wrong and it doesn't mean anything.

Examples used with other adverbs:

<div class="liju">
-   他 **太** *能* 睡 了 。<span class="expl">The subject can sleep a
    lot, for many hours.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā **tài** *néng*
    shuì le.</span><span class="trans">He can really sleep.</span>
-   没想到 你 **这么***能* 吃苦 。<span class="pinyin">Méixiǎngdào nǐ
    **zhème** *néng* chīkǔ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't expect
    you to be a person who could handle so many burdens.</span>
-   你 **真***能* 吃 !<span class="expl">The subject can eat a
    lot.</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ **zhēn** *néng*
    chī!</span><span class="trans">Wow, you really can eat!</span>
-   中国 人 **真***会* 吃 ! <span class="expl">The subject has great
    knowledge about food and its culture, a true
    connoisseur.</span><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rén **zhēn** *huì*
    chī!</span><span class="trans">Chinese people can really eat.</span>

Note that 很可以吃 is wrong and it doesn't mean anything.

</div>
<span id="Similar_Expression_with_Different_Meanings" class="mw-headline">Similar Expression with Different Meanings</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<div class="liju">
-   我 的 脚 好 了 ,现在 又 *能* 跳舞 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de
    jiǎo hǎo le, xiànzài yòu *néng* tiàowǔ
    le.</span><span class="trans">I am able to dance now since my foot
    is better. (The condition changed)</span>
-   我 学 了 两 个 月 ,现在 我 *会* 跳舞 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    xué le liǎng gè yuè, xiànzài wǒ *huì* tiàowǔ
    le.</span><span class="trans">I studied for two months. I know how
    to dance now. (It's a learned skill)</span>
-   我 爸妈 同意 了 ,现在 我 *可以* 跳舞 了 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
    bàmā tóngyì le, xiànzài wǒ *kěyǐ* tiàowǔ
    le.</span><span class="trans">My parents agreed. I'm allowed to
    dance now. (Parents gave their permission)</span>

</div>
Note that none of the three can be followed by the aspectual particle
过.

For a good visualization on how these three overlap, check out the
[Chinese Modal Verb Venn
Diagram](http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram%7C).

<span id="See_also" class="mw-headline">See also</span>
-------------------------------------------------------

-   [Auxiliary verb "hui" for
    "will"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Auxiliary_verb_%22hui%22_for_%22will%22)
-   [Expressing a learned
    skill](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_a_learned_skill)
-   [Expressing ability or
    possibility](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_ability_or_possibility)
-   [Expressing
    permission](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_permission)

<span id="Sources_and_further_reading" class="mw-headline">Sources and further reading</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

### <span id="Books" class="mw-headline">Books</span>

-   [对外汉语教学语法释疑201例](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%AF%B9%E5%A4%96%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E9%87%8A%E7%96%91201%E4%BE%8B) (pp.
    55, 65) \[ →buy\]
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
    219-20) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W)

### <span id="Dictionaries" class="mw-headline">Dictionaries</span>

-   [现代汉语词典(第5版)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89) (pp.
    989, 773, 610)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1)

### <span id="Websites" class="mw-headline">Websites</span>

-   [Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn
    Diagram](http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2009/10/13/chinese-modal-verb-venn-diagram)

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