Chinese

可能

kěnéng
possible; probable; likely
  • HSK 2
  • TOCFL 4

Etymology graph

  • inherited
  • borrowed
  • derived
  • parts
  • meaning component
  • sound component
  • related
React Flow

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Origin

Attested in Old Chinese; original meanings were “to be able to, competent”, “can be achieved, possible”.

From Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Lineage

  • characterChinese可 “can; may; be able to”
    • meaningChinese口 “mouth, especially the lips and internal mouth cavity (Classifier: 把 c)”
    • soundChinese丂 “the appearance of air which is to be released”
      • componentChinese𠃑
      • componentChinese一 “one”
  • characterChinese能 “a kind of bear”

Sources