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可否

Mandarin · pinyin kě fǒu

is it possible or not?

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Characters in this entry

可: kě · may, can, -able; possibly
否: fǒu · not, no, negative; final particle; hexagram ䷋

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–3 · ke3 fou3

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 3 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ho2 fau2

Cantonese word readings for 可否. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

(formal) can or cannot

noun

(formal) affirmative or negative comment

adv

(formal) whether it is possible or not

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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