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能 — can; to be able to; might possibly

can; to be able to; might possibly; ability; energy

Pinyin
néng · Néng
Strokes
10
HSK level
HSK 1
Handwriting
recognition only

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

How to write 能: 10 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. The syllabus asks you to recognise this character rather than write it by hand.

能 — 10 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 能

Words with 能 in the HSK syllabus: 34

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. 能néngcan; to be able to; might possibly; ability; energyHSK 1
  2. 可能kěnéngmight; possible; probable; possibility; probabilityHSK 2
  3. 只能zhǐ néngcan only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choiceHSK 3
  4. 能否néng fǒuwhether one can; whether it is possibleHSK 4
  5. 能够nénggòuto be capable of; to be able to; canHSK 4
  6. 能力nénglìcapability; abilityHSK 4
  7. 功能gōngnéngfunction; capabilityHSK 5
  8. 技能jìnéngtechnical ability; skillHSK 5
  9. 能干nénggàncapable; competentHSK 5
  10. 智能zhìnéngintelligent; able; smartHSK 5
  11. 本能běnnénginstinctHSK 6
  12. 才能cáinéngtalent; ability; capacityHSK 6
  13. 节能jiénéngto conserve energy; to minimize energy consumptionHSK 6
  14. 能量néngliàngenergy; capabilitiesHSK 6
  15. 能源néngyuánenergy sources; energyHSK 6
  16. 人工智能réngōng zhìnéngartificial intelligenceHSK 6
  17. 太阳能tàiyángnéngsolar energyHSK 6
  18. 新能源xīnnéngyuánnew energy; alternative energyHSK 6
  19. 性能xìngnéngfunction; performance; behaviorHSK 6
  20. 耳熟能详ěrshú-néngxiángwhat's frequently heard can be repeated in detailHSK 7–9
  21. 核能hénéngnuclear energyHSK 7–9
  22. 力所能及lìsuǒnéngjías far as one's capabilities extend; to the best of one's abilityHSK 7–9
  23. 难能可贵nánnéng-kěguìrare and precious; valuable; remarkableHSK 7–9
  24. 能耗nénghàoenergy consumptionHSK 7–9
  25. 能耐néngnaiability; capabilityHSK 7–9
  26. 能人néngréncapable personHSK 7–9
  27. 潜能qiánnéngpotential; hidden capabilityHSK 7–9
  28. 全能quánnéngomnipotent; all-round; strong in every areaHSK 7–9
  29. 体能tǐnéngphysical capability; staminaHSK 7–9
  30. 万能wànnéngomnipotent; all-purpose; universalHSK 7–9
  31. 无能wúnéngincompetence; inability; incapable; powerlessHSK 7–9
  32. 无能为力wúnéngwéilìpowerless to do anything about itHSK 7–9
  33. 正能量zhèngnéngliàngpositive energy; positivityHSK 7–9
  34. 职能zhínéngfunction; roleHSK 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.