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  <h1>Expressing ability or possibility with "<span class="pinyinst">néng</span>" "<span class="hanzist">能</span>"</h1>

  <p><span style="color: rgb(139, 0, 0); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 22px;">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) is one of several Chinese words that is normally translated as "<b>can</b>" in English. However, <span class="hanzi">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) is used to emphasize one's <b>ability</b> or the <b>possibility of something happening</b>.</p>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_300">Contents</h2>

  <div class="contents">
    <ul>
      <li>1 Expressing Ability</li>

      <ul>
        <li>1.1 Structure</li>

        <li>1.2 Examples</li>
      </ul>

      <li>2 Expressing Possibility</li>

      <ul>
        <li>2.1 Structure</li>

        <li>2.2 Examples</li>
      </ul>

      <li>3 Other Usages</li>

      <ul>
        <li>3.1 Examples</li>
      </ul>

      <li>4 See also</li>

      <li>5 Sources and further reading</li>

      <ul>
        <li>5.1 Websites</li>

        <li>5.2 Books</li>
      </ul>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_301">Expressing Ability</h2>

  <p><span style="color: rgb(139, 0, 0); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 22px;">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) indicates ability when used with activities that are not consciously learned or studied.</p>

  <h3 id="Structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>The structure to use <span class="hanzi">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) to express "ability" is:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Subj. + <span class="hanzi">能</span> + Verb + Obj.
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_302">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 能 吃 四 十 个 饺子。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ néng chī sìshí gè jiǎozi.</span><br/> I can eat 40 dumplings.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他 能 工作 24 个 小时。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Tā néng gōngzuò èrshí-sì gè xiǎoshí.</span> <br/>He can work 24 hours.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 能 帮 我 找到 他 吗？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng bāng wǒ zhǎodào tā ma?</span> <br/>Can you help me find him?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 的 手机 能 上网 吗？ </span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ de shǒujī néng shàngwǎng ma?</span> <br/>Can your cell phone go on the internet?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">一 岁 的 宝宝 能 说话 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Yī suì de bǎobao néng shuōhuà ma?</span><br/> Can a one year old baby talk?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_303">Expressing Possibility</h2>

  <p>When used with activities that are consciously learned or studied, <span class="hanzi">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) generally means that circumstances do not allow execution of the action. In other words, it's not possible.</p>

  <h3 id="Structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>The structure to use <span class="hanzi">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) to express possibility is exactly the same:</p>

  <div class="deux">
    Subj. + <span class="hanzist">能</span> + Verb + Obj.
  </div>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_304">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">开车 一 个 小时 能 到 家 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Kāichē yī gè xiǎoshí néng dào jiā ma?</span><br/> Is it possible to drive home in one hour?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他们 明天 能 早 点 来 吗？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Tāmen míngtiān néng zǎo diǎn lái ma?</span><br/> Would it be possible for them to come a little earlier tomorrow?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你们 能 小声 一点 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐmen néng xiǎo shēng yīdiǎn ma? </span><br/>Could you all lower your voices a bit?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 能 告诉 我 她的 手机 号码 吗 ？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ tā de shǒujī hàomǎ ma?</span><br/> Could you tell me her cell phone number?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">一 千 块 能 买 一 个 手机 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Yīqiān kuài néng mǎi yī gè shǒujī ma?</span><br/> Is it possible to buy a cell phone with one thousand RMB?</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_305">Other Usages</h2>

  <p>From these examples we can see such circumstances might be pertaining to getting someone's consent or reliant on the speaker's health. If the speaker wishes to express that they are able to execute an action requiring a consciously studied skill, <span class="hanzi">会</span> (<span class="pinyin">huì</span>) can be used instead.</p>

  <p>Because <span class="hanzi">能</span> (<span class="pinyin">néng</span>) can express possibility, it is often used to form polite questions, something like "<b>would it be possible</b>" in English:</p>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_306">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 能 问 你 一 个 问题 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ néng wèn nǐ yī gè wèntí ma?</span><br/> Could I ask you a question?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 能 坐 在 这里 吗？</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ néng zuò zài zhèlǐ ma? </span><br/>Could I sit here?</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这里 不 能 游泳。</span><br/><span class="vert">It's not allowed, or not possible for other reasons.</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ bù néng yóuyǒng .</span><br/>You can't swim here.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">上课 的 时候 不 能 说 英文。</span><br/><span class="vert">My teacher has forbidden me from speaking English.</span><br/> <span class="pinyin">Shàngkè de shíhou bù néng shuō Yīngwén.</span><br/> In class, you can't speak English.</li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">工作 的 时候 不 能 玩 手机。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Gōngzuò de shíhou bù néng wán shǒujī.</span><br/> When working, you can't play with your cell phone.</li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_307">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li>Expressing permission with "<span class="pinyin">kěyǐ</span>"</li>

    <li>Expressing a learned skill with "huì"</li>

    <li>Comparing "<span class="pinyin">huì</span>" "<span class="pinyin">néng</span>" "<span class="pinyin">kěyǐ</span>"</li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sigil_toc_id_308">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_309">Websites</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Sinosplice: Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="sigil_toc_id_310">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 219-20)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1)</span> (pp. 160-1)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>)(2nd ed) (pp. 185-7)</li>
  </ul>
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