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HSK 2

可能

possible; maybe; possibility

adverbneutral1 episode
可
kě3rd tone
能
néng2nd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
kěnéng
Part of speech
adverb
Level
HSK 2
Strokes
15
Register
neutral
In episodes
1

Stroke order for 可能

可能 is written with 15 strokes (可: 5, 能: 10). The animation replays automatically.

What does 可能 mean?

可能 (kěnéng) does triple duty: as an adverb 'possibly / maybe' modifying a verb (他可能不来 'he might not come'), as an adjective 'possible' (这是可能的 'this is possible'), and as a noun 'possibility' (有可能 'there's a possibility').

It is the most common way Chinese speakers hedge a statement — much like English 'maybe' or 'might.' Position matters: as an adverb it goes before the verb, after the subject — 我可能去 ('I might go'), not 可能我去. To negate, you can say 不可能 ('impossible'), which is much stronger than 可能不 + verb ('might not').

Compare with 也许 (yěxǔ, 'perhaps'), which expresses a softer, more speculative maybe — often interchangeable with 可能, though 可能 is slightly more concrete (a 50/50 chance) while 也许 leans more wishful. The fixed phrase 不可能 ('no way / impossible') is everyday slang. 可能性 (kěnéngxìng) is the noun form 'possibility / likelihood.'

Character by character

可kěcan; able; permissible
+
能néngcan; be able to
=
可能

Memory hook: 可 (can) + 能 (able to) — both characters mean 'can.' Together they back into 'possibly,' i.e. 'within the realm of being able to happen.'

Hear 可能 in real episodes

可能 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.

He Took Steroids, Drank 24 a Day and Never Trained Once. At His First Bodybuilding Contest, He Came Last.可能 spoken at natural speedmedium
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Example sentences

他今天可能不来。

Tā jīntiān kěnéng bù lái.

He might not come today.

spoken

明天可能下雨。

Míngtiān kěnéng xià yǔ.

It might rain tomorrow.

neutral

这是不可能的。

Zhè shì bù kěnéng de.

This is impossible.

neutral

我很可能要换工作。

Wǒ hěn kěnéng yào huàn gōngzuò.

I'm very likely going to change jobs.

spoken

Common phrases with 可能

不可能bù kěnéngimpossible; no way
有可能yǒu kěnéngthere's a possibility
很可能hěn kěnéngvery likely
可能性kěnéngxìngpossibility; likelihood (noun)
尽可能jǐn kěnéngas much as possible

Synonyms

也许yěxǔ

也许 is 'perhaps / maybe' — softer and more speculative than 可能. 可能 implies a real chance you can estimate; 也许 is more wishful or vague. 也许他会来 ('perhaps he'll come') vs 他可能来 ('he might come').

或许huòxǔ

或许 is the slightly more formal/written sibling of 也许. Same general meaning. Use 可能 in speech, 或许 in essays.

Don't confuse 可能 with

能néng

能 alone means 'can / be able to' (capability or permission). 我能去 = 'I can go' (factual). 我可能去 = 'I might go' (probability). Don't mix capability with possibility.

会huì

会 also means 'will / would' for a future or learned ability. 他会来 = 'he will come / he can come (speaks the language).' 他可能来 = 'he might come.' Different certainty.

可以kěyǐ

可以 means 'may / can' (permission or possibility of doing). Beginners confuse 可以 with 可能 because both start with 可. 你可以去 = 'you may go'; 你可能去 = 'you might go.'

FAQ

Related words from the same episodes

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