How to Write 可 (kě/kè) — Meaning “can; may; able to”

Picture a mouth (口) saying “Okay!” and a hook (亅) that looks like a checkmark, meaning approval. The horizontal line (一) on top is like a lid that keeps the permission in place.

The stroke order is: horizontal line first, then the mouth (left vertical, top, right vertical, bottom), and finally the vertical hook. A common mistake is making the hook too short or forgetting it altogether – the hook must extend clearly below the mouth.

口 is just the mouth radical and means “mouth” by itself. 卟 is a rare character most often used in transliteration. 可 has an extra horizontal line and a hook, giving it the meaning “can” or “may” – it is far more common and has its own unique structure.

可 appears in everyday words like 可以 (kě yǐ, “can/may”), 可是 (kě shì, “but”), and 可能 (kě néng, “possible”). It is often used to give permission or express possibility, and in polite requests such as 可以吗? (Can I?).

Common words containing 可 include: 可以 (kě yǐ) — can; may; 可是 (kě shì) — but; however; 可能 (kě néng) — possible; maybe.