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能耐

Mandarin · pinyin néng nài

ability
capability

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Characters in this entry

能: néng · to be able; can, permitted to; ability
耐: nài · endure, bear; resist; patient

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

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Mandarin tones

2–4 · neng2 nai4

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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

nang4 noi6

Cantonese word readings for 能耐. 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.

noun

(colloquial) skill; resourcefulness

adj

(colloquial) capable

verb

to be able to withstand; to be tolerant

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

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