For autodidact students of Mandarin, the English word "can" maps to three distinct Chinese modal verbs, each with a different semantic range: 可以 (kěyǐ, permission/possibility), 能 (néng, ability/circumstantial possibility), and 会 (huì, learned ability/likelihood — the focus of Lesson 37). This lesson treats 可以 and 能 together because their domains partially overlap and their contrast is the first modal distinction a learner must master.
The core distinction: 可以 asks whether something is permitted or acceptable; 能 asks whether it is possible given the circumstances or whether the subject has the physical capacity. 你可以走了 (You may go — permission granted). 他能跑很快 (He can run very fast — physical ability). 今天不能出门，下大雨 (Can't go out today, heavy rain — circumstantial impossibility).
Key Takeaways: - 可以 (kěyǐ): permission / acceptability — "may I?" / "is it OK to?" - 能 (néng): physical ability / circumstantial possibility — "am able to" / "is it possible?" - 会 (huì): learned skill / probability — "know how to" / "will likely" (Lesson 37) - Negative: 不可以 (not permitted), 不能 (unable/impossible), 不会 (don't know how/won't) - 可以 and 能 overlap in some contexts; the distinction sharpens in negation
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可 is composed of 口 (kǒu, mouth) under a horizontal stroke — originally depicting the mouth opening to express approval. The sense of permission ("you may") flows directly from this: the authority speaks, and what is spoken becomes permissible. 以 (yǐ) means "by means of / with / in order to" — together 可以 literally means "may by means of" = it is acceptable to.
能 is an ancient character depicting a bear (熊 xióng shares the same root) — the bear as a symbol of physical strength and capability. The evolution from "bear" to "ability" preserves this association with raw power and capacity.
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36.1a 这里 here 可以 may 抽烟 smoke 吗 Q ？
36.1b (zhèlǐ) here (kěyǐ) may (chōuyān) smoke (ma) Q?
36.2a 他 he 能 can 一个人 alone 搬 carry 动 move 这个 this-CL 箱子 box
36.2b (tā) he (néng) can (yī gè rén) alone (bān) carry (dòng) move (zhège) this-CL (xiāngzi) box
36.3a 你 you 可以 may 用 use 我的 my 电脑 computer
36.3b (nǐ) you (kěyǐ) may (yòng) use (wǒ de) my (diànnǎo) computer
36.4a 下雨 raining 了 PERF ， , 不能 cannot 出去 go-out 跑步 run
36.4b (xià yǔ) raining (le) PERF (bù néng) cannot (chūqù) go-out (pǎobù) run
36.5a 请问 excuse-me ， , 我 I 可以 may 坐 sit 这里 here 吗 Q ？
36.5b (qǐngwèn) excuse-me (wǒ) I (kěyǐ) may (zuò) sit (zhèlǐ) here (ma) Q?
36.6a 她 she 受伤 injured 了 PERF ， , 不能 cannot 走路 walk
36.6b (tā) she (shòushāng) injured (le) PERF (bù néng) cannot (zǒulù) walk
36.7a 这 this 个 CL 问题 problem 可以 can 这样 this-way 解决 solve
36.7b (zhège) this-CL (wèntí) problem (kěyǐ) can (zhèyàng) this-way (jiějué) solve
36.8a 你 you 能 can 不能 not-can 帮 help 我 me 一下 a-moment ？
36.8b (nǐ) you (néng) can (bù néng) not-can (bāng) help (wǒ) me (yīxià) a-moment?
36.9a 不 not 可以 permitted 在 in 这里 here 停车 park-car
36.9b (bù) not (kěyǐ) permitted (zài) in (zhèlǐ) here (tíng chē) park-car
36.10a 你 you 今天 today 能 can 来 come 吗 Q ？
36.10b (nǐ) you (jīntiān) today (néng) can (lái) come (ma) Q?
36.11a 可以 may 请 invite 你 you 吃 eat 饭 meal 吗 Q ？
36.11b (kěyǐ) may (qǐng) invite (nǐ) you (chī) eat (fàn) meal (ma) Q?
36.12a 他 he 的 DE 身体 body 不好 not-good ， , 不能 cannot 喝酒 drink-alcohol
36.12b (tā) he (de) DE (shēntǐ) body (bù hǎo) not-good (bù néng) cannot (hē jiǔ) drink-alcohol
36.13a 有些 some 事情 things ， , 能 can 做 do 不一定 not-necessarily 可以 permitted-to 做 do
36.13b (yǒuxiē) some (shìqing) things (néng) can (zuò) do (bù yīdìng) not-necessarily (kěyǐ) permitted-to (zuò) do
36.14a 只要 as-long-as 努力 hardworking ， , 就 then 能 can 做到 achieve
36.14b (zhǐyào) as-long-as (nǔlì) hardworking (jiù) then (néng) can (zuò dào) achieve
36.15a 困难 difficulty 不能 cannot 阻止 stop 我们 us 前进 advancing
36.15b (kùnnán) difficulty (bù néng) cannot (zǔzhǐ) stop (wǒmen) us (qiánjìn) advancing
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36.1 这里可以抽烟吗？ "Is smoking permitted here?"
36.2 他能一个人搬动这个箱子。 "He can move this box by himself."
36.3 你可以用我的电脑。 "You may use my computer."
36.4 下雨了，不能出去跑步。 "It's raining — can't go out running."
36.5 请问，我可以坐这里吗？ "Excuse me, may I sit here?"
36.6 她受伤了，不能走路。 "She is injured and cannot walk."
36.7 这个问题可以这样解决。 "This problem can be solved this way."
36.8 你能不能帮我一下？ "Can you help me for a moment?"
36.9 不可以在这里停车。 "Parking is not permitted here."
36.10 你今天能来吗？ "Can you come today?"
36.11 可以请你吃饭吗？ "May I invite you to a meal?"
36.12 他的身体不好，不能喝酒。 "His health is poor — he cannot drink alcohol."
36.13 有些事情，能做不一定可以做。 "Some things — being able to do them doesn't mean you're permitted to."
36.14 只要努力，就能做到。 "As long as you work hard, you can achieve it."
36.15 困难不能阻止我们前进。 "Difficulty cannot stop us from advancing."
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36.1 这里可以抽烟吗？ 36.2 他能一个人搬动这个箱子。 36.3 你可以用我的电脑。 36.4 下雨了，不能出去跑步。 36.5 请问，我可以坐这里吗？ 36.6 她受伤了，不能走路。 36.7 这个问题可以这样解决。 36.8 你能不能帮我一下？ 36.9 不可以在这里停车。 36.10 你今天能来吗？ 36.11 可以请你吃饭吗？ 36.12 他的身体不好，不能喝酒。 36.13 有些事情，能做不一定可以做。 36.14 只要努力，就能做到。 36.15 困难不能阻止我们前进。
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These are the grammar rules for 可以 (kěyǐ) and 能 (néng) — "can/may":
可以 — permission and acceptability:
可以 asks: "Is it permitted? Is it acceptable? Is it OK?" - 这里可以抽烟吗？(Is smoking allowed here?) - 你可以用我的电脑 (You may use my computer — I grant permission) - 可以请你吃饭吗？(May I invite you to dinner? — social permission) - 不可以在这里停车 (Parking is not permitted here — rule/authority)
The negative 不可以 is stronger than 不能 — it implies prohibition, not mere impossibility.
能 — ability and circumstantial possibility:
能 asks: "Is it physically possible? Does the subject have the capacity? Do the circumstances allow it?" - 他能搬动这个箱子 (He can move this box — physical strength) - 她不能走路 (She cannot walk — injury prevents it) - 下雨了不能出去 (Can't go out, it's raining — circumstances prevent it) - 你今天能来吗？(Can you come today? — are you available/able?)
The negative 不能 means "unable" or "circumstances don't allow."
The overlap zone:
In some contexts, 可以 and 能 are interchangeable: - 你可以来吗？/ 你能来吗？(Can you come? — both work) - 这个问题可以解决 / 这个问题能解决 (This problem can be solved — both acceptable)
The distinction sharpens in negation and in specific contexts: - 不可以 = not permitted (authority says no) - 不能 = not possible (circumstances or ability prevent it)
Example 36.13 — the philosophical distinction:
能做不一定可以做 (Being able to do something doesn't mean you're permitted to). This sentence uses both modals in contrast: 能 (physical/practical ability) versus 可以 (moral/social permission). You CAN do it (能), but SHOULD you? (可以). The sentence captures the ethics of restraint.
能不能 — the A-not-A question form:
你能不能帮我？(Can you or can't you help me?) — this is the affirmative-negative question pattern (introduced with 去不去 in Lesson 30). Any modal can be questioned this way: 可以不可以 (may or may not?), 能不能 (can or can't?).
只要…就能… — conditional ability:
只要努力，就能做到 (As long as you work hard, you can achieve it). 只要 (as long as) sets the condition; 就 (then) marks the consequence; 能 expresses the resulting ability. This optimistic formula is a staple of Chinese motivational speech.
Common Mistakes: - Using 可以 for physical ability: *我可以跑很快 — should be 我能跑很快 (physical capacity) - Using 能 for social permission: *我能坐这里吗 — sounds like "am I physically able to sit here?" rather than "may I sit here?" — better: 我可以坐这里吗 - Mixing up negatives: 不可以 (forbidden) is much stronger than 不能 (unable)
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可以 as social lubricant: the question 可以吗？(Is that OK?) is one of the most-used phrases in Chinese social interaction. It softens requests, seeks consensus, and offers the listener a face-saving way to decline. 我坐这里可以吗？(May I sit here — is that OK?) is gentler than 我坐这里 (I'm sitting here). The addition of 可以吗 transforms a declaration into a negotiation. This reflects the Chinese social value of giving others face (面子 miànzi) — never imposing, always asking.
能 in moral philosophy: Confucius's 非不能也，是不为也 (It is not that I cannot, but that I will not) — from the Analerta — draws the exact distinction this lesson teaches. 能 is about capacity; 为 is about will. The sage who can but chooses not to exercises a higher faculty than mere ability.
The question 你能不能…？(Can you or can't you…?) can carry impatience if the tone is sharp — it implies the listener has been hesitating. In polite requests, 你可以…吗？or 能不能请你…？is softer.
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《论语·雍也》— Analects of Confucius, Book 6, c. 5th century BCE
Ran Qiu, a student of Confucius, says he lacks ability. Confucius corrects him: the problem is not inability but unwillingness.
冉求曰："非不说子之道，力不足也。" 子曰："力不足者，中道而废。今女画。"
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
冉求 (Rǎn Qiú) Ran-Qiu 曰 (yuē) said ： "非 (fēi) not-that 不 (bù) not 说 (yuè) delight-in 子 (zǐ) Master 之 (zhī) GEN 道 (dào) Way ，
力 (lì) strength 不足 (bù zú) not-sufficient 也 (yě) PART 。"
子 (Zǐ) Master 曰 (yuē) said ： "力 (lì) strength 不足 (bù zú) not-sufficient 者 (zhě) one-who ，
中道 (zhōng dào) mid-way 而 (ér) and 废 (fèi) gives-up 。 今 (jīn) now 女 (rǔ) you 画 (huà) draw-a-line 。"
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
冉求曰："非不说子之道，力不足也。" 子曰："力不足者，中道而废。今女画。"
"Ran Qiu said: 'It is not that I do not delight in the Master's Way — my strength is insufficient.' The Master said: 'One whose strength is truly insufficient gives up in the middle of the road. But you — you draw a line before you even start.'"
F-C: Authentic Text Only
冉求曰："非不说子之道，力不足也。" 子曰："力不足者，中道而废。今女画。"
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
力不足 (lì bù zú): "strength is not sufficient" — Ran Qiu's claim: I 不能 (am unable). 力 (strength/power) + 不足 (insufficient). This is the 能 excuse: I lack the capacity.
中道而废 (zhōng dào ér fèi): "give up in the middle of the road" — 中道 (midway) + 而 (classical "and then") + 废 (abandon/give up). Confucius's point: someone who truly cannot would at least start and fail partway. That would be genuine inability (不能).
今女画 (jīn rǔ huà): "But you — you draw a line [before starting]." 画 means to draw a line, marking a boundary one will not cross. Confucius accuses Ran Qiu of 不为 (unwillingness), not 不能 (inability). He has decided in advance that he cannot, and this decision — not any lack of strength — is what stops him.
F-E: Literary Commentary
Confucius makes the distinction this lesson teaches: 能 (ability) is about what is possible; 可以 and its classical equivalents are about what is permitted or chosen. Ran Qiu says 不能 — I cannot. Confucius replies: you have not tried, so you do not know whether you 能 or not. You have drawn a line (画) — you have told yourself it is 不可以 before testing whether it is 不能. The lesson word's distinction between permission and ability is, in Confucius's hands, a moral diagnosis: the student mistakes his own will for the world's constraint.
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A new employee on her first week at a challenging job. Her manager assigns tasks; colleagues help or doubt her; she navigates the full range of 可以 (permission), 能 (ability), and their negatives. The dialogue shows these modals in natural workplace conversation.
36.16a 经理 manager 问 asked 小李 Xiao-Li ： : "你 you 能 can 处理 handle 这个 this-CL 客户 client 的 DE 投诉 complaint 吗 Q ？"**
36.16b (jīnglǐ) manager (wèn) asked (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (nǐ) you (néng) can (chǔlǐ) handle (zhège) this-CL (kèhù) client (de) DE (tóusù) complaint (ma) Q?
36.17a 小李 Xiao-Li 犹豫 hesitated 了 PERF 一下 a-moment ： : "我 I 可以 may 先 first 看看 look-at 资料 materials 吗 Q ？"**
36.17b (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (yóuyù le) hesitated-PERF (yīxià) a-moment (wǒ) I (kěyǐ) may (xiān) first (kànkan) look-at (zīliào) materials (ma) Q?
36.18a "当然 of-course 可以 may 。 资料 materials 在 are-at 系统 system 里 inside ， , 你 you 能 can 自己 self 找到 find 吗 Q ？"
36.18b (dāngrán) of-course (kěyǐ) may (zīliào) materials (zài) are-at (xìtǒng) system (lǐ) inside (nǐ) you (néng) can (zìjǐ) self (zhǎo dào) find (ma) Q?
36.19a "能 can 。 不过 however ， , 我 I 可以 may 问 ask 同事 colleague 一些 some 问题 questions 吗 Q ？"
36.19b (néng) can (búguò) however (wǒ) I (kěyǐ) may (wèn) ask (tóngshì) colleague (yīxiē) some (wèntí) questions (ma) Q?
36.20a 同事 colleague 老王 Lao-Wang 说 said ： : "你 you 问 ask 吧 SUGG ， , 但 but 这个 this-CL 客户 client 很 very 难 difficult ， , 你 you 确定 sure 能 can 搞定 handle-successfully 吗 Q ？"**
36.20b (tóngshì) colleague (Lǎo Wáng) Lao-Wang (shuō) said (nǐ) you (wèn ba) ask-SUGG (dàn) but (zhège) this-CL (kèhù) client (hěn) very (nán) difficult (nǐ) you (quèdìng) sure (néng) can (gǎodìng) handle-successfully (ma) Q?
36.21a "我 I 不 not 确定 sure ， , 但 but 我 I 可以 can 试试 try 。"
36.21b (wǒ) I (bù) not (quèdìng) sure (dàn) but (wǒ) I (kěyǐ) can (shìshi) try
36.22a 老王 Lao-Wang 小声 quietly 对 to 另一个 another-CL 同事 colleague 说 said ： : "新人 newcomer 能 can 行 work 吗 Q ？"**
36.22b (Lǎo Wáng) Lao-Wang (xiǎo shēng) quietly (duì) to (lìng yī gè) another-CL (tóngshì) colleague (shuō) said (xīn rén) newcomer (néng) can (xíng) work (ma) Q?
36.23a 小李 Xiao-Li 听到 heard 了 PERF ， , 但 but 没 not-PAST 说 say 什么 anything
36.23b (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (tīng dào) heard (le) PERF (dàn) but (méi) not-PAST (shuō) say (shénme) anything
36.24a 她 she 花 spent 了 PERF 一整天 one-whole-day 研究 researching 资料 materials ， , 能 able 理解 understand 的 DE 全 all 记下来 noted-down
36.24b (tā) she (huā) spent (le) PERF (yī zhěng tiān) one-whole-day (yánjiū) researching (zīliào) materials (néng) able (lǐjiě) understand (de) DE (quán) all (jì xiàlái) noted-down
36.25a 第二天 second-day ， , 她 she 给 to 客户 client 打了 made 电话 phone-call
36.25b (dì èr tiān) second-day (tā) she (gěi) to (kèhù) client (dǎ le) made (diànhuà) phone-call
36.26a 客户 client 说 said ： : "你们 you-PL 以前 before 的 DE 人 person 不能 could-not 解决 solve 我的 my 问题 problem ， , 你 you 能 can 吗 Q ？"**
36.26b (kèhù) client (shuō) said (nǐmen) you-PL (yǐqián) before (de) DE (rén) person (bù néng) could-not (jiějué) solve (wǒ de) my (wèntí) problem (nǐ) you (néng) can (ma) Q?
36.27a 小李 Xiao-Li 说 said ： : "我 I 不 not 能 can 保证 guarantee ， , 但 but 可以 can 尽 fully 我 my 最大 greatest 的 DE 努力 effort 。"
36.27b (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (shuō) said (wǒ) I (bù) not (néng) can (bǎozhèng) guarantee (dàn) but (kěyǐ) can (jìn) fully (wǒ) my (zuì dà) greatest (de) DE (nǔlì) effort
36.28a 一周 one-week 后 after ， , 问题 problem 解决 resolved 了 PERF
36.28b (yī zhōu hòu) one-week-after (wèntí) problem (jiějué le) resolved-PERF
36.29a 经理 manager 对 to 老王 Lao-Wang 说 said ： : "你 you 看 see ， , 新人 newcomer 能 can 行 work 的 PART 。"
36.29b (jīnglǐ) manager (duì) to (Lǎo Wáng) Lao-Wang (shuō) said (nǐ kàn) you-see (xīn rén) newcomer (néng) can (xíng) work (de) PART
36.30a 小李 Xiao-Li 在 in 日记 diary 里 inside 写 wrote ： : "不 not 确定 sure 能不能 can-or-cannot 做到 achieve 的 DE 事 things ， , 试了 tried-PERF 才 only-then 知道 know 。"
36.30b (Xiǎo Lǐ) Xiao-Li (zài) in (rìjì lǐ) diary-inside (xiě) wrote (bù quèdìng) not-sure (néng bu néng) can-or-cannot (zuò dào) achieve (de) DE (shì) things (shì le) tried-PERF (cái) only-then (zhīdào) know
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36.16 经理问小李："你能处理这个客户的投诉吗？" "The manager asked Xiao Li: 'Can you handle this client's complaint?'"
36.17 小李犹豫了一下："我可以先看看资料吗？" "Xiao Li hesitated: 'May I look at the materials first?'"
36.18 "当然可以。资料在系统里，你能自己找到吗？" "'Of course you may. The materials are in the system — can you find them yourself?'"
36.19 "能。不过，我可以问同事一些问题吗？" "'I can. However, may I ask a colleague some questions?'"
36.20 同事老王说："你问吧，但这个客户很难，你确定能搞定吗？" "Colleague Lao Wang said: 'Go ahead and ask, but this client is difficult — are you sure you can handle it?'"
36.21 "我不确定，但我可以试试。" "'I'm not sure, but I can try.'"
36.22 老王小声对另一个同事说："新人能行吗？" "Lao Wang said quietly to another colleague: 'Can the newcomer manage?'"
36.23 小李听到了，但没说什么。 "Xiao Li heard, but said nothing."
36.24 她花了一整天研究资料，能理解的全记下来。 "She spent the whole day researching the materials, noting down everything she could understand."
36.25 第二天，她给客户打了电话。 "The next day, she called the client."
36.26 客户说："你们以前的人不能解决我的问题，你能吗？" "The client said: 'The person before you couldn't solve my problem — can you?'"
36.27 小李说："我不能保证，但可以尽我最大的努力。" "Xiao Li said: 'I can't guarantee it, but I can give my greatest effort.'"
36.28 一周后，问题解决了。 "A week later, the problem was resolved."
36.29 经理对老王说："你看，新人能行的。" "The manager said to Lao Wang: 'See — the newcomer can manage after all.'"
36.30 小李在日记里写："不确定能不能做到的事，试了才知道。" "Xiao Li wrote in her diary: 'Things you're not sure you can achieve — you only know by trying.'"
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36.16 经理问小李："你能处理这个客户的投诉吗？" 36.17 小李犹豫了一下："我可以先看看资料吗？" 36.18 "当然可以。资料在系统里，你能自己找到吗？" 36.19 "能。不过，我可以问同事一些问题吗？" 36.20 同事老王说："你问吧，但这个客户很难，你确定能搞定吗？" 36.21 "我不确定，但我可以试试。" 36.22 老王小声对另一个同事说："新人能行吗？" 36.23 小李听到了，但没说什么。 36.24 她花了一整天研究资料，能理解的全记下来。 36.25 第二天，她给客户打了电话。 36.26 客户说："你们以前的人不能解决我的问题，你能吗？" 36.27 小李说："我不能保证，但可以尽我最大的努力。" 36.28 一周后，问题解决了。 36.29 经理对老王说："你看，新人能行的。" 36.30 小李在日记里写："不确定能不能做到的事，试了才知道。"
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搞定 (gǎodìng): "handle successfully / sort out" — 搞 (do/manage — colloquial) + 定 (settled/fixed, resultative complement). A very common colloquial compound meaning to bring something to a successful conclusion. 搞不定 = cannot handle it. Register: informal but ubiquitous in workplace Chinese.
能理解的全记下来 (néng lǐjiě de quán jì xiàlái): "noted down everything she could understand" — 能理解的 = what she could understand (能 + verb + 的 = nominalised ability clause); 全 (all/entirely); 记下来 (note down — 记 write/remember + 下来 downward result complement). The 能…的 functions as a noun phrase: "the things that were understandable."
能行的 (néng xíng de): "can manage [it's confirmed]" — the sentence-final 的 here is an assertive particle (not the possessive 的), adding emphasis: "can manage, I tell you." It has a slightly triumphant or validating tone — the manager confirming what Lao Wang doubted.
不能保证，但可以尽努力 (36.27): Two modals in one sentence, each in its correct domain. 不能保证 (cannot guarantee — beyond my ability to control the outcome); 可以尽努力 (can give my effort — this is within my permission/capacity to offer). The distinction between what you can control (能) and what you can choose to do (可以) is precise.
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可以 (kěyǐ) — IPA: /kʰɤ˨˩˦.i˨˩˦/
可 (kě): third tone — aspirated velar stop [kʰ] (with puff of breath), followed by mid-central vowel [ɤ]. Third tone: low dip then rise.
以 (yǐ): third tone — vowel [i] alone, third tone.
Two consecutive third tones: the tone sandhi rule applies. The first third tone (可) becomes a rising tone (tone 2) in natural speech: [kʰɤ˧˥.i˨˩˦]. So 可以 sounds like "ké yǐ" in practice.
能 (néng) — IPA: /nəŋ˧˥/ — Second tone, rising.
n: dental nasal [n] — tongue tip to upper teeth. éng: mid-central vowel [ə] + velar nasal [ŋ]. The tone rises from mid to high.
能 and 能 are among the most frequently heard syllables in Chinese — the rising second tone on 能 is distinctive and easy to recognise in rapid speech.
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