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可 — can; may; able to

can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit

Pinyin
kě · kè
Strokes
5
HSK level
HSK 1
Handwriting
required

This character has more than one reading — kě, kè — and the pronunciation depends on the word it appears in. The list below gives the syllabus reading for each word.

How to write 可: 5 strokes

Each cell adds one stroke to the previous ones, with the new stroke in red. Stroke order is not decoration: it sets the proportions of the character and makes handwriting legible to a reader. This character is on the HSK handwriting list, so the exam expects you to write it, not only recognise it.

可 — 5 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 可

Words with 可 in the HSK syllabus: 38

Every word in the official 2026 syllabus that contains this character, with the level it is introduced at. Learning a character pays off through these: each one combines with the characters you already know.

  1. 可以kěyǐcan; may; possible; able to; not bad; pretty goodHSK 1
  2. 可能kěnéngmight; possible; probable; possibility; probabilityHSK 2
  3. 可kěcan; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permitHSK 3
  4. 可爱kě’àiadorable; cute; lovelyHSK 3
  5. 可是kěshìbut; however; indeedHSK 3
  6. 可惜kěxīit is a pity; what a pity; unfortunatelyHSK 4
  7. 可见kějiànit can clearly be seen; it is clear; clear; visibleHSK 5
  8. 可靠kěkàoreliableHSK 5
  9. 可怕kěpàawful; dreadful; fearful; formidable; frightfulHSK 5
  10. 可口kěkǒutasty; to taste goodHSK 6
  11. 可怜kěliánpitiful; pathetic; to have pity onHSK 6
  12. 可行kěxíngfeasibleHSK 6
  13. 认可rènkěto approve; approval; acknowledgment; OKHSK 6
  14. 许可xǔkěto allow; to permitHSK 6
  15. 必不可少bìbùkěshǎoabsolutely necessary; indispensable; essentialHSK 7–9
  16. 不可或缺bùkě-huòquēnecessary; must haveHSK 7–9
  17. 不可思议bùkě-sīyìinconceivable; unimaginable; unfathomableHSK 7–9
  18. 大有可为dàyǒu-kěwéiwith great prospects for the future; well worth doingHSK 7–9
  19. 即可jíkěequivalent to 就可以; can then; can immediatelyHSK 7–9
  20. 可悲kěbēilamentableHSK 7–9
  21. 可不是kěbúshiexactly!; indeed; that's for sureHSK 7–9
  22. 可乘之机kěchéngzhījīan opportunity that someone can exploitHSK 7–9
  23. 可耻kěchǐshameful; disgraceful; ignominiousHSK 7–9
  24. 可观kěguānworth seeing; considerable; impressive; significantHSK 7–9
  25. 可贵kěguìto be treasured; praiseworthyHSK 7–9
  26. 可谓kěwèiit could even be saidHSK 7–9
  27. 可恶kěwùrepulsive; vile; hateful; abominableHSK 7–9
  28. 可想而知kěxiǎng’érzhīgoes without saying; can well be imaginedHSK 7–9
  29. 可笑kěxiàofunny; ridiculousHSK 7–9
  30. 可疑kěyísuspicious; dubiousHSK 7–9
  31. 难能可贵nánnéng-kěguìrare and precious; valuable; remarkableHSK 7–9
  32. 宁可nìngkěpreferably; one would prefer to...; would ratherHSK 7–9
  33. 势不可当shìbùkědāngimpossible to resist; an irresistible forceHSK 7–9
  34. 随处可见suíchù kě jiàncan be seen everywhereHSK 7–9
  35. 无话可说wúhuà-kěshuōto have nothing to sayHSK 7–9
  36. 无家可归wújiā-kěguīhomelessHSK 7–9
  37. 无可厚非wúkěhòufēi—HSK 7–9
  38. 无可奈何wúkěnàihéhave no way out; have no alternativeHSK 7–9

Glosses come from CC-CEDICT, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, and are the dictionary’s first sense rather than a translation chosen for context.