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<title>Comparing "hui" "neng" "keyi"</title>
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<h1>Comparing "hui" "neng" "keyi"</h1>

<p>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.</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Basic Meanings </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Expressing Ability </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 Expressing Permission </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3.1 Structure </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3.2 Examples </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Expressing Possibility </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Structure </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.2 Example </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5 Talking about the Future </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5.1 Structure </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5.2 Examples </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">6 Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">6.1 Structure </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">6.2 Examples </span></li></ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">7 Similar Expression with Different Meanings </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">8 See also </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">9 Sources and further reading </span></li><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">9.1 Books </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">9.2 Dictionaries </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">9.3 Websites</span></li></ul></ul></div>

<h2>Basic Meanings</h2>

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

<p>会 can mean "know how to" and can express an action that you had to learn or be trained in to do.
能 means "to be able to" and expresses having a certain ability or having obtained a certain minimum requirement.</p>
<p>可以 means "may" or "to be allowed to" and expresses having another person's permission.
As for overlap, this graphic helps explain nicely:</p>


<p>The regions marked by letters are explained in the sections below:
</p>
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)

<h2>Expressing Ability</h2>

<h2>Both 会 and 能 can be used to express ability in something.</h2>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">会／能 + Verb</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我们 都 会 游泳 。
Wǒmen dōu huì yóuyǒng.
We all know how to swim. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 不 会 修 电脑 。
Tā bù huì xiū diànnǎo.
He doesn't know how to fix computers. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 你 会 说 中文 吗 ？
Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?
Can you speak Chinese? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 不 好意思 ，我 只 会 说 一点 。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yīdiǎn.
Sorry, I can only speak a little. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A:你 能 吃 三 碗 米饭 吗 ？
Nǐ néng chī sān wǎn mǐfàn ma?
Are you able to eat three bowls of rice? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 不 能 。
Bù néng.
I can't.</span><br /></li></ul></div>

<h2>Expressing Permission</h2>

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

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">可以 / 能 + Verb</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A:老师 ，我 可以 早点 走 吗 ？
Lǎoshī, wǒ kěyǐ zǎo diǎn zǒu ma?
Teacher, can I leave a little early? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B:不 可以 。
Bù kěyǐ.
No, you can't. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 我 能 在 这里 抽烟 吗 ？
Wǒ néng zài zhèlǐ chōuyān ma?
Can I smoke here? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 不 能 。
Bù néng.
No, you can't.</span><br /></li></ul></div>

<h2>Expressing Possibility</h2>

<p>能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">可以 / 能 + Verb</div>

<h3>Example</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">明天 你 能 早点 来 吗 ？
Míngtiān nǐ néng zǎodiǎn lái ma?
Is it possible for you to come a little earlier tomorrow? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">可 不 可以 换 一 个 ？
Kě bu kěyǐ huàn yī gè?
Is it possible to change it? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A:外国人 能 不 能 参加 ？
Wàiguó rén néng bu néng cānjiā?
Is it possible for foreigners to attend? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 不 能 。
Bù néng.
Not possible.</span><br /></li></ul></div>

<h2>Talking about the Future</h2>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">会 + Verb / Adj.</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 不 会 跟 你 结婚 。
Tā bù huì gēn nǐ jiéhūn.
He's not going to marry you. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 会 生 我 的 气 吗 ？
Nǐ huì shēng wǒ de qì ma?
Will you be mad at me? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这样 穿 会 好看 吗 ？
Zhèyàng chuān huì hǎokàn ma?
Will I look good if I dress like this? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 今天 会 下雨 吗 ？
Jīntiān huì xiàyǔ ma?
Is it going to rain today? </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 我看 不 会 。
Wǒ kàn bù huì.
I don't think it will.</span><br /></li></ul></div>

<h2>Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis</h2>

<p>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."</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">很 + 会／能 + Verb</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 很能 说 。
Tā hěn néng shuō.
He's quite a talker. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 妈妈 很 会 做饭 。My mom cooks very well.
Wǒ māma hěn huì zuòfàn.
My mother really knows how to cook. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 才 五岁 ，但是 很 会 说话 。The subject has good speaking skills.
Tā cái wǔ suì, dànshì hěn huì shuōhuà.
She's only five but she's a smooth talker. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">这个 女生 很 会 打扮 。
Zhège nǚshēng hěn huì dǎban.
This girl knows how to dress up really well.</span><br /></li></ul></div>

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

<h3>Examples used with other adverbs:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 太 能 睡 了 。The subject can sleep a lot, for many hours.
Tā tài néng shuì le.
He can really sleep. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">没想到 你 这么能 吃苦 。
Méixiǎngdào nǐ zhème néng chīkǔ.
I didn't expect you to be a person who could handle so many burdens. </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 真能 吃 !The subject can eat a lot.
Nǐ zhēn néng chī!
Wow, you really can eat! </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">中国 人 真会 吃 ! The subject has great knowledge about food and its culture, a true connoisseur.
Zhōngguó rén zhēn huì chī!
Chinese people can really eat.</span><br /></li></ul></div>
<p>Note that 很可以吃 is wrong and it doesn't mean anything.</p>

<h2>Similar Expression with Different Meanings</h2>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 的 脚 好 了 ，现在 又 能 跳舞 了 。
Wǒ de jiǎo hǎo le, xiànzài yòu néng tiàowǔ le.
I am able to dance now since my foot is better. (The condition changed) </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 学 了 两 个 月 ，现在 我 会 跳舞 了 。
Wǒ xué le liǎng gè yuè, xiànzài wǒ huì tiàowǔ le.
I studied for two months. I know how to dance now. (It's a learned skill) </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 爸妈 同意 了 ，现在 我 可以 跳舞 了 。
Wǒ bàmā tóngyì le, xiànzài wǒ kěyǐ tiàowǔ le.
My parents agreed. I'm allowed to dance now. (Parents gave their permission)</span><br /></li></ul></div>

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

<p>For a good visualization on how these three overlap, check out the Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram.
</p>
<h3>See also</h3>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Auxiliary verb "hui" for "will" </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing a learned skill </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing ability or possibility </span></li><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Expressing permission</span><br /></li></ul></div>

<h3>Sources and further reading</h3>

<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 55, 65) [ →buy]
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 219-20) →buy</span><br /></li></ul></div>
<h4>Dictionaries</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 989, 773, 610) →buy</span><br /></li></ul></div>
<h4>Websites</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram</span><br /></li></ul></div>
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