可以...不可以...
Reach for this when you're spelling out what's allowed and what's forbidden in the same breath. 'You can do X, but you can't do Y.' Common in rules, signs, instructions, and parental guidance. The pattern lets you draw a clear line by listing both sides — common in safety briefings, classroom rules, and contract terms where ambiguity is dangerous.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 可以 [ALLOWED ACTION], 不可以 [FORBIDDEN ACTION]
kěyǐ... bù kěyǐ...
How to Think About It
可以 grants permission; 不可以 denies it. Putting them back-to-back creates a clear allow/forbid contrast that's easier to remember than a long list of rules. Native speakers pair them often in spoken speech and signage — the symmetry helps the listener immediately grasp the boundary. Drop one half and you only have half the rule; learners and kids especially benefit from hearing both.
Examples
你可以喝水, 不可以喝可乐。
Nǐ kěyǐ hē shuǐ, bù kěyǐ hē kělè.
You can drink water, but you can't drink Coke.
学生可以问问题, 不可以打断老师。
Xuéshēng kěyǐ wèn wèntí, bù kěyǐ dǎduàn lǎoshī.
Students can ask questions, but can't interrupt the teacher.
在这里可以拍照, 不可以用闪光灯。
Zài zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāizhào, bù kěyǐ yòng shǎnguāngdēng.
Here you can take photos, but you can't use flash.
Common Mistake
Learners use 能 instead of 可以 here, but 能 emphasizes physical ability ('be able to'), while 可以 is the proper word for permission. For rules and what's allowed, use 可以 / 不可以.
你能告诉老板, 但是你不能点火。
你可以告诉老板, 但是你不可以点火。
Don't Confuse With
能...不能...
More about ability than permission. '我能游泳' = 'I can swim' (skill). 'For rules and permissions, prefer 可以/不可以.'
应该...不应该...
'Should... shouldn't...' — a softer moral guideline, not a hard rule. Use 应该 for advice, 可以/不可以 for actual rules and prohibitions.
必须...不可以...
Mixes obligation and prohibition. 必须 = 'must do'; 不可以 = 'must not do.' Use 必须 when something is required, 可以 when it's just allowed.
Practice
你 ___ 看电视, 不可以玩游戏。
Show answer
可以
你可以坐, ___ 可以躺。
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不
Put in order: [不可以 / 可以 / 喝水 / 喝酒 / 你]
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你可以喝水, 不可以喝酒。
Translate to Chinese: 'You can watch TV, but you can't go out.'
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你可以看电视, 不可以出去。
Write one rule using 可以...不可以... — what's allowed and what isn't.
Show answer
Example answer: 在图书馆可以看书, 不可以大声说话。 (In the library you can read, but you can't talk loudly.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: