Chinese Dictionary

Usage of the character 可

used in 可汗 (kèhán)

(prefix) can; may; able to; -able
to approve; to permit
to suit
(particle used for emphasis) certainly; very

edible

cannot

differentiable (calculus)

awful
dreadful
fearful
formidable
frightful
scary
hideous
horrible
terrible
terribly

lamentable
sad(ly)

movable

making one happy
gratifying
heartening

see 可不是 (kěbushì)

pitiful
pathetic
to have pity on

small
unimportant
(polite) my humble person

(dialect) unbearable
embarrassing

worrisome

by happy coincidence

croissant (loanword)

suddenly
in an instant

passable
possible to reach

astonishing

is it possible or not?

hateful

(mining) recoverable
workable

encore (loanword)

to fit well (clothes)

enjoyable to read; worth reading; readable
able to be read; legible; readable

repulsive
vile
hateful
abominable

reliable

equivalent to 就可以
can then (do sth)
can immediately (do sth)
(do sth) and that will suffice

tasty; to taste good

considerable
impressive
significant

countable
denumerable

conspicuous
plain to see

miserably

all are OK
both are OK
all can
both can
also can

adorable
cute
lovely

both OK
all acceptable

might (happen)
possible
probable
possibility
probability
maybe
perhaps
CL:個／个 (gè)

suspicious
dubious

cannot; should not; must not

not bad
satisfactory

strange
curious
surprising

soluble

annoying
irritating
exasperating

variable

xi or ksi (Greek letter Ξξ)

pleasant
agreeable
a person after one's heart (charming person)
a gifted person

well-fitting (of clothes)

base
mean
despicable

soluble (i.e. can be solved)

can be used for

how can one endure?
to be able to endure

khan (loanword)

pitiable
likable
memorable

but; however
(used for emphasis) indeed

inflammable

available
optional

to allow
to permit

amusing
entertaining
(loanword) cola

it may be said

Mike (name)

can be expected (to)
to be expected (to)
hopefully (happening)

trustworthy

disgusting

venerable

shameful
disgraceful
ignominious

to adopt
to pass
to vote approval (of a law etc)

evidently
clearly
no wonder
knowable

to be treasured
praiseworthy

good or not?
luckily
fortuitously

comparable

funny
ridiculous

preferably
one would prefer to...(or not to...)
would rather
(would) be better to
(to pick) the lesser of two evils

it is a pity
what a pity
unfortunately

can be divided (into parts)
one can distinguish (several types)

differentiable (math.)

it could even be said

laudable

desirable; worth having
(of a suggestion etc) commendable; worthy

worth seeing

adjustable

aggravating; irritating

lamentable

can
may
possible
able to
not bad
pretty good

it can clearly be seen (that this is the case)
it is (thus) clear
clear
visible

a person after one's heart (charming person)
capable person

edible

vigorously
to the utmost
to the best of one's ability

kindly
nice
amiable

reversible
(math.) invertible

(botany) coca (loanword)

to approve
approval
acknowledgment
OK

feasible

reliable

satisfying
to one's liking
to suit sb

dreadful
formidable

gullible
easily bullied
weak

certainly

can't

cocoa (loanword)

cutie
sweetie
(Tw) camisole (women's garment)

kěxiǎngxiàng

conceivable

to act cute
putting on adorable airs
to pretend to be lovely

readability

may not

Pokémon

that's just the way it is
exactly!

(coll.) pitiable; to have pity on sb

solubility

available

clathrate hydrates

irreversible

recyclable

trusty

Montreal (chiefly used in Hong Kong and the Chinese community in Canada) (from Cantonese 滿地可／满地可 Mun5 dei6 ho2)

erhua variant of 可勁／可劲 (kějìn)

executable (computing)

Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka (Tw)

impossible
cannot
not able

transferable
negotiable

degree of credibility
reliability

programmable

Quickly, tapioca milk tea franchise

clonidine (drug) (loanword)

possible
probable
possibly
probably
may
might

(law) admissibility (of evidence in court)

plasticity

pitiful creature
wretch

intelligibility

(electronics) silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR)
thyristor

rococo (loanword)
very ornate

(coll.) (stative verb suffix) very; awfully

cultivable

see 儘可能／尽可能 (jǐnkěnéng)

croquette

correction fluid (loanword from "Liquid Paper") (Tw)

Viagra

visible light
light in optical spectrum

Marconi, UK electronics company

scooter (loanword)

fissile

not differentiable (function in calculus)

canelé (a French pastry) (Tw)

gnosticism, the philosophical doctrine that everything about the universe is knowable

crêpe (loanword)

band-aid; sticking plaster

respectable

visualization

compressible

insoluble (i.e. impossible to solve)

sustainable

affirmative vote

feasibility

(mining) workability (of deposits of coal, ore etc)

as far as possible; to the best of one's ability

erasable

commensurable
having a common measure

unreliable

Quran (Islamic scripture)

unavoidable

proportion needed to approve a decision

flammable
flammability

Zhu Kezhen (1890-1974), Chinese metereologist and geologist

indispensable; essential

renewable (resource)

tolerable

reversibility

reliability

addressable (computing)
accessible via an address

codeine (loanword)

Cocoa Krispies

license
authorization
permit

possibility; probability

Chén Kěxióng

Chen Kexiong (1950-), novelist

disco (loanword) (Tw)

countable set (math.)
denumerable set

convertible debt
convertible bond

portable (programming language)

cocaine (loanword)

uncountable

need not
unnecessary

see 必不可少 (bìbùkěshǎo)

kěxiǎng'érzhī

it is obvious that...
as one can well imagine...

impatient
eager to
anxious to

see 稱心如意／称心如意 (chènxīnrúyì)

qièshíkěxíng

feasible

rényánkěwèi

gossip is a fearful thing (idiom)

tuòshǒukědé

easily obtained
readily available

unavoidably

a suspect

worthy of celebration
gratifying
Congratulations!

wúkězhēngyì

undeniable; uncontroversial

too high to reach (idiom); eminent and unapproachable

chùshǒukějí

within reach

innumerable (idiom)

deep and unmeasurable (idiom); unfathomable depths
incomprehensible
enigmatic and impossible to predict

act of God
force majeure (law)
irresistible (idiom)

more than one can bear (idiom); at the end of one's patience
the last straw

suíchùkějiàn

can be seen everywhere

impossible to get even an outline (idiom)
unfathomable
not a clue

kěgònghuànnàn

to go through thick and thin together (idiom)

having wealth equivalent to that of an entire nation (idiom)
extremely wealthy

profitable

no strategy left to try (idiom); at one's wit's end
at the end of one's tether
powerless

see 無可救藥／无可救药 (wúkějiùyào)

Bǎishì Kělè

Pepsi

see 無可奈何／无可奈何 (wúkěnàihé)

yǒngqìkějiā

to deserve praise for one's courage (idiom)

chùshǒukědé

within reach

impassable
insurmountable
insuperable

kějiéhéxìng

associativity (xy)z = x(yz) (math.)

chǔchǔ-kělián

(idiom) pitiable; sweet, innocent and vulnerable

to have nothing to do
to have time on one's hands

a feast for the eyes (idiom)
(of women) gorgeous
graceful
(of scenery) beautiful

xiàoróngkějū

smiling wholeheartedly (idiom); beaming from ear to ear

unable to restrain one's anger (idiom); in a towering rage

kědúyīnxìng

pronounceability

shūmiànxǔkě

written permission
written authorization

bùkěmíngzhuàng

indescribable
beyond description

Facebook (Internet slang, pun reading "you must die")

hòushēngkěwèi

the young will be redoubtable in the years to come (idiom)
the younger generations will surpass us in time

liáoliáokěshǔ

just a very few (idiom); tiny number
just a handful
not many at all
You count them on your fingers.

absolutely necessary
indispensable
essential

kěshìdiànhuà

videophone

měiwèikěkǒu

delicious
tasty

dàochùkějiàn

ubiquitous
commonplace
found everywhere

bùkěshōushí

irremediable; unmanageable; out of hand; hopeless

kěquānkědiǎn

remarkable (performance, achievement etc)
worthy of praise

each one distinguishable

ruìbùkědāng

unstoppable
hard to hold back

kěshǔmíngcí

countable noun (in grammar of European languages)

inviolable
inviolability

to be so thirsty as to no longer be able to tolerate it

wúkěfènggào

(idiom) "no comment"

miànmùkězēng

repulsive countenance
disgusting appearance

bùkěgūliàng

inestimable
incalculable
beyond measure

hard to come by
rare

to laugh irrepressibly

nowhere to go
at the end of one's tether

magnetic medium
material capable of being magnetized

inextricably linked (idiom)
inseparable

qiánkětōngshén

with money, you can do anything (idiom)
money talks

móléngliǎngkě

equivocal
ambiguous

qíngyǒukěyuán

pardonable (of interruption, misunderstanding etc)

kěwàngyǒuchéng

can be expected to be a success

positive point
merit
redeeming quality

impossibly stupid

No time to lose! (idiom)

miàobùkěyán

too wonderful for words

intolerably vulgar

one's contributions cannot go unnoticed (idiom)

kěchéngzhījī

an opportunity that someone (usually a villain or adversary) can exploit

bùkěshèngshǔ

countless
innumerable

imminent
just around the corner (idiom)

necessary
must have

wèichángbùkě

(idiom) acceptable; fine; okay

see 未可厚非 (wèikěhòufēi)

fáshànkěchén

(idiom) to be nothing to write home about

cannot be doubted (idiom)

agnosticism, the philosophical doctrine that some questions about the universe are in principle unanswerable

no way out
nowhere to go
trapped beyond hope of rescue
painted into a corner

Keketuohai town in Fuyun county 富蘊縣／富蕴县 ( Fùyùnxiàn), Altay prefecture, Xinjiang

bùkěshèngyán

inexpressible (idiom)
beyond description

rare commodity worth hoarding
object for profiteering

without a retreat route
caught in a dead end
having burned one's bridges

imminent danger (idiom); approaching a crisis

lincomycin

qíngbùkěquè

unable to refuse because of affection

unsurpassed
unparalleled

indelible

shēngwúkěliàn

(Internet slang) nothing left to live for

nánnéngkěguì

rare and precious
valuable
remarkable

bùkězhōngrì

to be unable to carry on even for a single day
to be in a desperate situation

yánbùkěchuán

impossible to put into words
inexpressible

lit. spare valor for sale (idiom); fig. after former successes, still ready for more work
not resting on one's laurels

yǒujīkěchéng

to have an opportunity that one can exploit (idiom)

(of pandas, ducklings etc) adorable
cute

homeless

cannot be found anywhere (idiom)

chòubùkěwén

to stink to high heaven
(fig.) disgraceful; disgusting

inseparable

jiānbùkěcuī

invulnerable, indestructible, impregnable

Jiànyí Kělè

Diet Coke
Coca-Cola Light

shìbùkědǎng

see 勢不可當／势不可当 (shìbùkědāng)

inexpressible (idiom)

kězhīfùxìng

affordability

kějiēshòuxìng

acceptability

unable to wait

unbelievable; incredible

shìkě'érzhǐ

(idiom) to refrain from going too far; to know when to stop

shìbùkědāng

impossible to resist (idiom); an irresistible force

with great prospects for the future (idiom); well worth doing

bùkěnìzhuǎn

irreversible

to succeed at the first try (idiom)
easy as pie
one can do it at once

cocobolo (loanword)

decline to comment
not express an opinion
be noncommittal
hedge

lit. no antidote is possible (idiom); incurable
incorrigible
beyond redemption

bùkěkāijiāo

to be awfully (busy etc)

miserable
wretched

bùkěquēshǎo

indispensable

inalienable
unalienable
inseparable
indivisible

kěyízhíxìng

portability (programming language)

wèizhìkěfǒu

to refuse to comment
same as 不置可否

xiǔmùkědiāo

(idiom) even though a person may have shortcomings, there is still room for improvement

kěgōngjūnyòng

having possible military application

ménkěluóquè

you can net sparrows at the door (idiom); completely deserted

overjoyed (idiom); as pleased as punch

unattainable
far-fetched
out of reach
exceedingly remote or distant

Gospel according to St Mark

yóucǐkějiàn

from this, it can be seen that...

not a single one is dispensable
can't do without either

yóuguāngkějiàn

lit. oily and shiny to the point of reflecting (idiom)
lustrous

unable to reply (idiom); left speechless
at a loss for words

wúhuàkěshuō

to have nothing to say (idiom)

lit. you can sing or you can cry (idiom); fig. deeply moving
happy and sad
inspiring and tragic

Hoh Xil or Kekexili, vast nature reserve on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau 青藏高原 ( Qīng Zànggāoyuán)

incurable
incorrigible
beyond cure
hopeless

irreversible

have no way out
have no alternative
abbr. to 無奈／无奈 (wúnài)

(idiom) impervious to reason; unreasonable

excellent in every respect
flawless

irreproachable (idiom)
nothing blameworthy about it at all

force majeure; act of God

uncountable set (math.)

not essential
dispensable

xiàobùkěyǎng

to double up with laughter (idiom)

qiánjǐngkěqī

to have a promising future
to have bright prospects

(idiom) impossible to fault
impeccable

bùkětōngyuē

having no common measure
incommensurable
incommensurate

to be kept secret; not to be divulged

pathetic
pitiful

Marco Polo (1254-c. 1324), Venetian trader and explorer who traveled the Silk road to China, author of Il Milione (Travels of Marco Polo)

qūzhǐ-kěshǔ

lit. can be counted on one's fingers (idiom)
fig. very few

irrevocable
the die is cast

countless
innumerable

Coca-Cola

fēitóngxiǎokě

extremely important
no small matter

inconceivable (idiom); unimaginable
unfathomable

zhìshǒukěrè

lit. burn your hand, feel the heat (idiom)
fig. arrogance of the powerful
a mighty figure no-one dares approach
hot (exciting or in favor)

jīkěluànzhēn

to seem almost genuine
easily mistaken for the real thing

jíyǒukěnéng

extremely possible
probable

omicron (Greek letter Οο)

mòkěmíngzhuàng

indescribable (joy)
inexpressible (pleasure)

licensing agreement (for intellectual property)

wèikěhòufēi

not to be censured too strictly (idiom)
not altogether inexcusable
understandable

(idiom) (of a woman) promiscuous; loose

affable
genial

(idiom) to consider oneself unexcelled in the world; to be insufferably arrogant

kězhǎnqūmiàn

(math.) a developable surface

kězhuǎnràngzhèngquàn

可转让证券

[可轉讓證券]

negotiable securities

Cháikěfūsījī

柴可夫斯基

[柴可夫斯基]

Tchaikovsky (1840-1893), Russian composer

xiǔmùbùkědiāo

朽木不可雕

[朽木不可雕]

lit. rotten wood cannot be carved (idiom)
fig. you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear

jìsuànjīkědú

计算机可读

[計算機可讀]

computer-readable
machine-readable

fènglíkělèdá

凤梨可乐达

[鳳梨可樂達]

piña colada

kěwàngqǔshèngzhě

可望取胜者

[可望取勝者]

favorite (to win a race or championship)
well-placed contestant

bùkěqīnfànquán

不可侵犯权

[不可侵犯權]

inviolability

kěchíxùfāzhǎn

可持续发展

[可持續發展]

sustainable development

lülínkěméisù

氯林可霉素

[氯林可霉素]

clindamycin

rénbùkěmàoxiàng

人不可貌相

[人不可貌相]

you can't judge a person by appearance (idiom)
you can't judge a book by its cover
often in combination 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量 (rénbùkěmàoxiàng,hǎishuǐbùkědǒuliáng)

kězhīpèishōurù

可支配收入

[可支配收入]

disposable income

Kěkětuōhǎizhèn

可可托海镇

[可可托海鎮]

Keketuohai town in Fuyun county 富蘊縣／富蕴县 ( Fùyùnxiàn), Altay prefecture, Xinjiang

kuāxiūkě'ěrzhèng

夸休可尔症

[誇休可爾症]

kwashiorkor (medicine)

wúkěwúbùkě

无可无不可

[無可無不可]

neither for nor against sth
indifferent

bùkěshǔmíngcí

不可数名词

[不可數名詞]

uncountable noun (in grammar of European languages)

kěxuǎnzédiūqì

可选择丢弃

[可選擇丟棄]

discard eligible (Frame Relay)
DE

kěxíngxìngyánjiū

可行性研究

[可行性研究]

feasibility study

kělièbiàncáiliào

可裂变材料

[可裂變材料]

fissile material

kězàishēngzīyuán

可再生资源

[可再生資源]

renewable resource

kěyùbùkěqiú

可遇不可求

[可遇不可求]

can be discovered but not sought (idiom)
one can only come across such things serendipitously

Nīkě· Jīdémàn

妮可·基德曼

[妮可·基德曼]

Nicole Kidman (1967-), film actress

Mǎkě· Aòlēiliú

马可·奥勒留

[馬可·奧勒留]

Marcus Aurelius (121-180), Roman Emperor

Kěkǒu Kělè Gōngsī

可口可乐公司

[可口可樂公司]

The Coca-Cola Company

bùkězàishēngzīyuán

不可再生资源

[不可再生資源]

nonrenewable resource

kěwàng'érbùkějí

可望而不可及

[可望而不可及]

in sight but unattainable (idiom)
inaccessible

shénshèngbùkěqīnfàn

神圣不可侵犯

[神聖不可侵犯]

sacred
inviolable

kěyī'érbùkězài

可一而不可再

[可一而不可再]

may be done once and once only; just this once

jiāchǒubùkěwàiyáng

家丑不可外扬

[家醜不可外揚]

lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom)
fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public

Mǎ'ěrkěfūguòchéng

马尔可夫过程

[馬爾可夫過程]

Markov process (math.)

yīfā'érbùkěshōu

一发而不可收

[一發而不可收]

to be impossible to stop once started

kězhuǎnhuàntóngwèisù

可转换同位素

[可轉換同位素]

fertile isotope

jiāchǒubùkěwàichuán

家丑不可外传

[家醜不可外傳]

lit. family shames must not be spread abroad (idiom); fig. don't wash your dirty linen in public

wèikětóngrì'éryǔ

未可同日而语

[未可同日而語]

lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath
incomparable

Mǎyǎkěfūsījī

马雅可夫斯基

[馬雅可夫斯基]

Vladimir Mayakovsky (1893-1930), Russian poet and dramatist

tiānjībùkěxièlù

天机不可泄露

[天機不可泄露]

lit. mysteries of heaven must not be revealed (idiom); must not be revealed
I am not at liberty to inform you.

hǎishuǐbùkědǒuliáng

海水不可斗量

[海水不可斗量]

see 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量 (rénbùkěmàoxiàng,hǎishuǐbùkědǒuliáng)

péngyouqībùkěqī

朋友妻不可欺

[朋友妻不可欺]

you should not covet your friend's wife (idiom)

yīfābùkěshōushi

一发不可收拾

[一發不可收拾]

once it gets started there's no stopping it

kěwàng'érbùkějí

可望而不可即

[可望而不可即]

in sight but unattainable (idiom)
inaccessible
also written 可望而不可及 (kěwàng'érbùkějí)

tiānjībùkěxièlòu

天机不可泄漏

[天機不可泄漏]

lit. mysteries of heaven must not be revealed (idiom); must not be revealed
I am not at liberty to inform you.

bùkětóngrì'éryǔ

不可同日而语

[不可同日而語]

lit. mustn't speak of two things on the same day (idiom); not to be mentioned in the same breath
incomparable

xiàchóngbùkěyǐyǔbīng

夏虫不可以语冰

[夏蟲不可以語冰]

a summer insect cannot discuss ice (idiom)

méiyǒushénmebùkěnéng

没有什么不可能

[沒有什麼不可能]

nothing is impossible
there's nothing impossible about it

zhīqíbùkě'érwéizhī

知其不可而为之

[知其不可而為之]

to keep going resolutely despite knowing the task is impossible (idiom)

bùkěchèxiāoxìnyòngzhèng

不可撤销信用证

[不可撤銷信用證]

irrevocable letter of credit

kěbiànshèntòuxìngmóxíng

可变渗透性模型

[可變滲透性模型]

Varying Permeability Model (VPM), (used to calculate decompression schedules in diving)

kěkuòzhǎnbiāojìyǔyán

可扩展标记语言

[可擴展標記語言]

extensible markup language (XML)

yúyǔxióngzhǎngbùkějiāndé

鱼与熊掌不可兼得

[魚與熊掌不可兼得]

lit. the fish and the bear's paw, you can't have both at the same time (idiom, from Mencius); fig. you must choose one or the other
you can't always get everything you want
you can't have your cake and eat it

tāshānzhīshíkěyǐgōngyù

他山之石可以攻玉

[他山之石可以攻玉]

lit. the other mountain's stone can polish jade (idiom); to improve oneself by accepting criticism from outside
to borrow talent from abroad to develop the nation effectively

shìkěrěn,shúbùkěrěn

是可忍，孰不可忍

[是可忍，孰不可忍]

if this can be tolerated, what cannot? (idiom)
enough is enough

shízhīwúwèi,qìzhīkěxī

食之无味，弃之可惜

[食之無味，棄之可惜]

lit. to be hardly worth eating, but it would still be a pity to discard it (idiom)
fig. some things have little to no value, yet one is still reluctant to part with them

zhǐkěyìhuì,bùkěyánchuán

只可意会，不可言传

[只可意會，不可言傳]

can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子／庄子 ( Zhuāngzǐ)); mysterious and subtle

jībùkěshī,shībùzàilái

机不可失，失不再来

[機不可失，失不再來]

opportunity knocks but once (idiom)

xīngxingzhīhuǒ,kěyǐliáoyuán

星星之火，可以燎原

[星星之火，可以燎原]

a single spark can start a huge blaze (idiom); an insignificant cause can have a massive effect

jībùkěshī,shíbùzàilái

机不可失，时不再来

[機不可失，時不再來]

Opportunity knocks but once. (idiom)

kěyǐyìhuì,bùkěyánchuán

可以意会，不可言传

[可以意會，不可言傳]

can be understood, but not described (idiom, from Zhuangzi 莊子／庄子 ( Zhuāngzǐ)); mysterious and subtle

kěcāxiěkěbiānchéngzhīdúcúnchǔqì

可擦写可编程只读存储器

[可擦寫可編程只讀存儲器]

EPROM (erasable programmable read-only memory)

rénbùkěmàoxiàng,hǎishuǐbùkědǒuliáng

人不可貌相，海水不可斗量

[人不可貌相，海水不可斗量]

you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot (idiom)

jiāchǒubùkěwàichuán,liúyánqièmòqīngxìn

家丑不可外传，流言切莫轻信

[家醜不可外傳，流言切莫輕信]

Don't spread abroad the shame of the family, don't believe rumors lightly. (idiom)
Don't wash your dirty linen in public, don't listen to others' gossip.

hàirénzhīxīnbùkěyǒu,fángrénzhīxīnbùkěwú

害人之心不可有，防人之心不可无

[害人之心不可有，防人之心不可無]

refrain from hurting others, yet guard against those trying to hurt you (proverb)