可
can, passable, approval
Readings
On'yomi
- カ
- コク
Kun'yomi
- -べ.き
- -べ.し
Nanori
- よし
Meaning
可 centers on the idea of something being acceptable or permissible: it can be done, it is passable, or it meets with approval.
Most common words using 可
24 of 421- 可能かのうN3
possible; potential; practicable; feasible
- 可愛いかわいいN5
cute; adorable; charming; lovely; pretty
- 可笑しいおかしいN4
funny; amusing; comical; laughable; ridiculous
- 許可きょかN4
permission; approval; authorization; license
- 不可能ふかのうN3
impossible
- 可かN3
acceptable; satisfactory; allowed; permitted
- 可哀想かわいそうN3
poor; pitiable; pathetic; pitiful
- 不可ふかN3
wrong; bad; improper; unjustifiable; inadvisable
- 可笑しなおかしな
funny; amusing; comical; laughable; ridiculous
- 認可にんかN1
approval; license; licence; permission
- 可愛らしいかわいらしいN3
lovely; sweet; pretty; cute; adorable
- 不可欠ふかけつN2
indispensable; essential
- 可決かけつN2
approval; adoption (of a motion, bill, etc.); passage
- 不可避ふかひN1
inevitable; inescapable; unavoidable
- 不可解ふかかいN1
incomprehensible; mysterious; inexplicable; inscrutable; enigmatic; baffling
- 可憐かれん
sweet (e.g. young girls, flowers blooming); touchingly lovely; cute
- 可否かひ
propriety; right and wrong; advisability; possibility
- 不可分ふかぶん
atomic; indivisibility
- 不可侵ふかしん
inviolability; nonaggression; sacredness
- 可愛がるかわいがるN3
to be affectionate to; to treat tenderly; to dote on; to show one's love (for); to cherish
- 可能性かのうせいN3
possibility; chance; likelihood; probability
- 可燃物かねんぶつN1
combustibles; inflammables; flammables; burnables
- 可燃性かねんせい
combustibility; inflammability
- 可能にするかのうにする
to allow; to enable; to make possible; to make feasible; to permit
Study
Etymology
可 originally depicted a person exhaling or speaking, with 口 (mouth) and a breath-like element above, conveying the idea of expressing permission or affirmation. The modern form retains the mouth component clearly.
Meaning mnemonic
The mouth 口 is open, and the top stroke looks like a nod of approval. Together, 可 means something is acceptable or can be done.
Reading mnemonic
For カ, imagine a can of soda being opened with a satisfying pop: can -> カ, and the sound signals approval.