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能

Mandarin · pinyin néng#

Meanings · néng

  1. can
  2. to be able to
  3. might possibly
  4. ability
  5. (physics) energy
Mandarin · pinyin Néng#

Meanings · Néng

  1. surname Neng
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Characters in this entry

能
néng · to be able; can, permitted to; ability
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · neng2

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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 Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

nang4 · noi6 · toi4

Cantonese word readings for 能. 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.

character

  1. (obsolete) a kind of bear
  2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese, Chinese mythology) a mythological bear-like animal, with deer-like legs.
  3. able; capable
  4. can; to be able to; to be capable of; to be allowed to
  5. to successfully do something (negate with 沒／没 (méi))
  6. (dialectal) cocky
  7. may; could
  8. rather; would rather
  9. ability; capability
  10. talent; talented person
  11. energy; power
  12. (Sujiahu Wu, Wenzhounese, Jinhua and Quzhou Wu) way; manner
  13. a surname

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 耐 (“to bear; to withstand”)
  2. a surname

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 台 (“name of a Chinese constellation”)

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 態 /态 (tài, “bearing; apparition; form; shape; status; position”)

character

  1. (obsolete) mythical three-legged soft-shelled turtle

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) only used in 能始 (tāishǐ, “origin; root cause”)

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 熊 (xióng, “bear”)

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

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