可か以

Chinese

		can; may; able to can; may; able to; certain(ly); to suit; (particle used for emphasis)	to use; according to; so as to to use; according to; so as to; in order to; by; with; because; Israel (abbrev.)
trad. (可か以)		可か	以
simp. #(可か以)		可か	以

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): kěyǐ, kèi

  (Zhuyin): ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ, ㄎㄟˋ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ko³ yi³

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): кәйи (kəyi, II-III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ho² ji⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): ho² yi⁴

• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): khó-yî
• Eastern Min (BUC): kō̤-ī
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): khó-í / khóⁿ-í

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ko² in²

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁵khu-i

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kěyǐ [Phonetic: kéyǐ]
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄜˇ ㄧˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kěyǐ
    • Wade–Giles: kʻo³-i³
    • Yale: kě-yǐ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: keeyii
    • Palladius: кэи (kɛi)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰɤ²¹⁴⁻³⁵ i²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/
      
  • (Standard Chinese, colloquial)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: kèi
    • Zhuyin: ㄎㄟˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: kèi
    • Wade–Giles: kʻei⁴
    • Yale: kèi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: key
    • Palladius: кэй (kɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰeɪ̯⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ko³ yi³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: koj
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo⁵³ i⁵³/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: кәйи (kəyi, II-III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰə⁵¹ i⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: ho² ji⁵
    • Yale: hó yíh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ho² ji⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: ho² yi⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hɔː³⁵ jiː¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: ho² yi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hᵘɔ⁵⁵ ji²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khó-yî
    • Hakka Romanization System: ko` i´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ko<sup>3</sup> yi<sup>1</sup>
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰo³¹ i²⁴/
  • (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: khó-yî
    • Hakka Romanization System: ko` (r)i´
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ko³ yi¹
    • Sinological IPA: /kʰo³¹ (j)i²⁴/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: kō̤-ī
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo³³⁻³⁵ i³³/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khó-í
    • Tâi-lô: khó-í
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qoyie
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /kʰɤ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ i⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /kʰo⁵³⁻⁴⁴ i⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: khóⁿ-í
    • Tâi-lô: khónn-í
    • Phofsit Daibuun: qvofie
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /kʰɔ̃⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ i⁵⁵⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: ko² in²
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: khó íⁿ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kʰo⁵²⁻³⁵ ĩ⁵²⁻²¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁵khu-i
    • MiniDict: khu^去さ i
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ²khu-i
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /kʰu³³ i⁴⁴/

Verb

可か以

1. can; may

   你不ふ可か以走はし。  ―  Nǐ bù kěyǐ zǒu.  ―  You may not leave.

   這裡可か以拍はく照あきら嗎？ [MSC, trad.]
   这里可か以拍はく照あきら吗？ [MSC, simp.]

   Zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāizhào ma? [Pinyin]

   May I take pictures here?

   • 這人ひと來き，為ため要よう作さく見み證しょう，就是為ため光ひかり作さく見み證しょう，叫さけべ眾人因いん他た可か以信しん。 [MSC, trad.]
     这人ひと来き，为要よう作さく见证，就是为光ひかり作さく见证，叫さけべ众人因いん他た可か以信しん。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 新しん標しるべ點てん和合本わごうほん (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 約やく翰福音おん (John) 1:7

     Zhè rén lái, wèi yào zuò jiànzhèng, jiùshì wèi guāng zuò jiànzhèng, jiào zhòngrén yīn tā kěyǐ xìn. [Pinyin]

     The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

2. can; to be able to

   我わが在ざい哪兒可か以弄ろう到いた電話でんわ卡？ [MSC, trad.]
   我わが在ざい哪儿可か以弄ろう到いた电话卡？ [MSC, simp.]

   Wǒ zài nǎr kěyǐ nòng dào diànhuàkǎ? [Pinyin]

   Where can I get a telephone card?

   現在げんざい科學かがく可か以說明せつめい許多きょた神秘しんぴ的てき事こと。 [MSC, trad.]
   现在科学かがく可か以说明许多神秘しんぴ的てき事こと。 [MSC, simp.]

   Xiànzài kēxué kěyǐ shuōmíng xǔduō shénmì de shì. [Pinyin]

   Science can now account for many mysterious things.

   根據こんきょ他た的てき口くち音おん可か以判斷はんだん出で他た可能かのう來き自じ下江しもえ地區ちく。 [MSC, trad.]
   根ね据すえ他た的てき口くち音おん可か以判断はんだん出で他た可能かのう来き自じ下江しもえ地区ちく。 [MSC, simp.]

   Gēnjù tā de kǒuyīn kěyǐ pànduàn chū tā kěnéng láizì Xiàjiāng dìqū. [Pinyin]

   From his accent we can infer that he maybe is from the downstream area of the Yangtze River.

3. ... can be used to ... (usually with ellipsed 之これ (zhī, “this”)); literally: 可か (“can”) + 以 (“by; by means of; according to”)

   棉花めんか可か以織お布ぬの／棉花めんか可か以织布  ―  miánhuā kěyǐ zhībù  ―  cotton can be used to weave cloth (lit. cotton, (one) can by this weave cloth)

   水みず可か以發電はつでん／水みず可か以发电  ―  shuǐ kěyǐ fādiàn  ―  water can be used to generate electricity (lit. water, (one) can by this generate electricity)

   • 五ご畝うね之これ宅たく，樹き之これ以桑くわ，五ご十じゅう者もの可か以衣ころも帛矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     五ご亩之これ宅たく，树之これ以桑くわ，五ご十じゅう者もの可か以衣ころも帛矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Mencius, c. 4^th century BCE

     Wǔ mǔ zhī zhái, shù zhī yǐ sāng, wǔshí zhě kě yǐ yī bó yǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 忠ただし之これ屬ぞく也，可か以一いち戰せん。戰せん則のり請從したがえ。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     忠ただし之これ属ぞく也，可か以一いち战。战则请从。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Zhōng zhī shǔ yě, kě yǐ yī zhàn. Zhàn zé qǐng cóng. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

   • 它山之これ石いし，可か以爲ため錯。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     它山之これ石いし，可か以为错。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11^th – 7^th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Tā shān zhī shí, kě yǐ wèi cuò. [Pinyin]

     The stones from other mountains, can be used as sharpening stones (lit. can make sharpening stones by them)

4. (aviation, Mainland China) to clear; to give clearance

   • 可か以起おこり飛ひ [MSC, trad.]
     可か以起おこり飞 [MSC, simp.]

     From: [1]

     kěyǐ qǐfēi [Pinyin]

     cleared for takeoff

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 可か以 (“can; may”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		可か, 可か以, 得とく
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		可か, 可か以, 得とく
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	可か以
	Malaysia	可か以
	Singapore	可か以
Cantonese	Guangzhou	可か以, 得とく >
	Hong Kong	可か以, 得とく >
	Taishan	可か以
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	可か以
	Singapore (Guangfu)	可か以
Gan	Nanchang	做得
Hakka	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	做得
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	做得, 可か以, 使つかい得とく
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	做得
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	使つかい得とく, 做得
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	做得
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	會かい用よう
	Kuching (Hepo)	做得
	Singapore (Dabu)	做得
Northern Min	Jian'ou	使つかい得とく, 會かい使し得とく
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	會かい使し
Southern Min	Xiamen	會かい使し, 會かい當とう, 會かい做, 會かい用よう, 會かい用よう得とく, 會得えとく, 會得えとく通どおり, 會かい通どおり, 通つう
	Quanzhou	會かい做, 會かい做得, 會かい用よう, 會かい用よう得とく, 會得えとく, 會得えとく通どおり, 會かい通どおり, 通つう
	Zhangzhou	會かい使し, 會かい當とう, 會かい用よう, 會かい用よう得とく, 會得えとく, 會得えとく通どおり, 會かい通どおり, 通つう
	Taipei	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Kaohsiung	會かい用よう得とく, 會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Yilan	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Changhua (Lukang)	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Taichung	會かい用よう得とく, 會かい使し得とく
	Tainan	會かい用よう得とく, 會かい使し, 會かい當とう, 會得えとく, 會得えとく通どおり, 通つう
	Hsinchu	會かい用よう得とく, 會かい使し
	Kinmen	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Penghu (Magong)	會かい使し, 會かい當とう
	Penang (Hokkien)	會かい, 會かい使し
	Singapore (Hokkien)	會かい使し, 會かい做, 會かい用よう, 會得えとく, 會かい當とう, 會かい通どおり
	Manila (Hokkien)	會かい做, 會かい用よう, 會かい用よう得とく, 會かい做得
	Medan (Hokkien)	會かい使し
	Chaozhou	可か以
	Jieyang	好このみ, 可か以
	Haifeng	會得えとく
	Singapore (Teochew)	會かい使し, 會得えとく
	Wenchang	可か以
	Qionghai	可か以
	Singapore (Hainanese)	可か以
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	得とく
Wu	Shanghai	好このみ, 可か以
	Suzhou	好このみ
	Ningbo	好このみ
Xiang	Changsha	做得, 可か以得
Note	> - used after the verb

Dialectal synonyms of 能のう (“can”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		能のう
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		能のう, 能のう夠, 可か以
Northeastern Mandarin	Taiwan	能のう, 能のう夠, 可か以
	Malaysia	能のう
	Singapore	能のう, 能のう夠, 可か以
Cantonese	Hong Kong	可か以
Hakka	Kuching (Hepo)	得とく
Eastern Min	Singapore (Fuqing)	會かい
Southern Min	Penang (Hokkien)	會かい, 會かい使し
	Singapore (Hokkien)	會かい, 會かい使し
	Manila (Hokkien)	會かい, 會かい通どおり
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	得とく, 可か以
Wu	Shanghai	好このみ
	Suzhou	好このみ
	Ningbo	好このみ

See also

• 得とく以 (déyǐ)

Adjective

可か以

1. passable; pretty good; not bad; all right; OK

   你休息きゅうそく就可か以了りょう。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

   Nǐ xiūxi jiù kěyǐ le. [Pinyin]

   If you rest a while, you'll be alright.

2. to a great extent

   • 這真しん閑得とく可か以。 [MSC, trad.]
     这真しん闲得とく可か以。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 朱しゅ自じ清きよし, 《回かい來らい雜記ざっき》

     Zhè zhēn xián dé kěyǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. capable; remarkable

   你小しょう子こ可か以啊。  ―  Nǐ xiǎozǐ kěyǐ a.  ―  You (affectionate) are remarkable.

Derived terms

• 不可ふか以 (bùkěyǐ)
• 可か以意會かい，不可ふか言傳ことづて／可か以意会かい，不可ふか言げん传
• 只ただ要よう目的もくてき正當せいとう，可か以不擇よ手段しゅだん／只ただ要よう目的もくてき正当せいとう，可か以不择手段しゅだん (zhǐyào mùdì zhèngdàng, kěyǐ bùzéshǒuduàn)
• 唔可以
• 還かえ可か以／还可以 (háikěyǐ)

 

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
可か	以

Verb

可か以

1. chữ Hán form of khả dĩ (“possible”).