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可以

Mandarin · pinyin kě yǐ

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Characters in this entry

可: kě · may, can, -able; possibly
以: yǐ · by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to

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

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Mandarin tones

3–3 · ke3 yi3

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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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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

ho2 ji5

Cantonese word readings for 可以. 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

can; may
can; to be able to
... can be used to ... (usually with ellipsed 之 (zhī, “this”)); literally: 可 (“can”) + 以 (“by; by means of; according to”)

adj

passable; well; not bad; all right; OK
(sigh with emotion, neutral or derogatory) to a great extent
(endearing) capable; remarkable
(sigh with emotion) nice

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

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