How to Say ‘Be able to’ in Simplified Chinese
能
néng
[néng]
💬 Usage Tip: In 可能, 能 isn't really be able to; the two-character word 可能 means maybe or possible. This is common in Chinese: the whole word's meaning matters more than each character separately.
Phrase Breakdown
能
néng
[néng]
can
Expresses capability or potentiality, similar to 'can'.
她能唱歌得很好。
She can sing very well.
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