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.

Basic Meanings

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

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

As for overlap, this graphic helps explain nicely:

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

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

Expressing Ability

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

Structure

Examples

Example dialogue:

Expressing Permission

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/可以 it can be answered with 不能/不可以, meaning no, and only 可以 meaning yes. Chinese don't really answer with just 能。

Structure

Examples

Example dialogue:

Expressing Possibility

能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.

Structure

Example

Example dialogue:

Talking about the Future

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.

Structure

Examples

Example dialogue:

Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis

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!," in other words, "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 emphasis 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.

Structure

Examples

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

Examples used with other adverbs:

Similar expression with different meanings

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

See Also

• Auxiliary verb "hui" for "will"
• Expressing a learned skill
• Expressing ability or possibility
• Expressing permission

Sources and further reading

Books

• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (p.55,p.65) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 219-20) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (能p.989， 可以p.773，会p.610) →buy

Websites

• Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram

Category:grammar comparison