can; may; be permitted; okay
HSK level
可以 is written with 9 strokes (可: 5, 以: 4). The animation replays automatically.
可以 (kěyǐ) is a modal verb meaning 'can,' 'may,' or 'be permitted to,' with the extra colloquial use of 'okay / not bad.'
It expresses three things English speakers should keep apart: (1) permission — '可以进来吗？' 'may I come in?'; (2) possibility/feasibility — '这个问题可以解决' 'this problem can be solved'; (3) evaluative 'okay/passable' — '这家饭店还可以' 'this restaurant is okay.' Two contrasts with English: first, Chinese splits 'can' across three modals — 可以 (allowed, possible), 会 (have the learned ability, future likelihood), and 能 (have the physical capability, situational possibility).
'I can swim' (skill) is 我会游泳; 'I can come tomorrow' (possible/allowed) is 我可以来; 'I can lift this' (physical ability) is 我能搬动. Mixing them up is the single most common HSK 2-3 error. Second, the negative is 不可以 (not allowed / not okay) — note that 不可以 sounds firmer than 不能, often used by parents and authorities.
Note: Fully neutral modal verb used in every register from casual chat to written contracts. As a one-word answer ('Sure / okay'), 可以 is friendly but slightly more formal than 行 (xíng).
Character by character
Memory hook: 可 'permitted' + 以 'to' = permitted to (do something).
可以 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Browse the full episode library我可以进来吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?
May I come in?
spoken, polite
你可以坐在这儿。
Nǐ kěyǐ zuò zài zhèr.
You can sit here.
spoken
这里不可以抽烟。
Zhèlǐ bù kěyǐ chōuyān.
Smoking is not allowed here.
neutral
这个电影还可以。
Zhège diànyǐng hái kěyǐ.
This movie is okay.
spoken
明天我们可以一起吃饭。
Míngtiān wǒmen kěyǐ yìqǐ chīfàn.
We can have dinner together tomorrow.
neutral
能 = have the physical ability or situational possibility to do something ('I can lift 50 kg'). 可以 = permitted or feasible ('I'm allowed to / it's possible to'). 'I can't come tomorrow' is 明天我不能来 (something prevents me) — 不可以 would mean 'not allowed.'
Both can translate as 'can,' but 能 focuses on capability/possibility, 可以 on permission/feasibility. '医生说我不能喝酒' (the doctor says I can't drink — physically can't) vs '这里不可以喝酒' (drinking isn't allowed here).
可能 = 'possible / maybe / probably' (likelihood). 可以 = 'can / may / permitted' (ability or permission). 明天可能下雨 (it might rain tomorrow) vs 明天可以来 (you may come tomorrow).
Acquire it by listening
You just saw 可以 in 1 episode. Fluentide keeps feeding you news episodes at your level, so this word — and thousands like it — resurface in real sentences until they stick. Full pinyin and translation every time. Free to start.
应该 = 'should / ought to' (advice or moral obligation). 可以 = 'can / may' (permission). 你应该多休息 (you should rest more) vs 你可以休息 (you may rest).
