Writing
会 (huì) — how to say "can" in Chinese
会
Can, to be able to; meeting
modal verb · noun
1. can; to be able toHSK 3.0 · level 1
modal verb
2. meeting; conference; gatheringHSK 3.0 · level 3
noun
How to use it
会 or 能 — which "can"?
会 before a verb often signals a learned skill, so 我会说汉语 presents speaking Chinese as something learned. 能 tends to describe ability under circumstances, such as time or permission. The two overlap, so 能 can also cover skills; treat 会 as a tendency toward learned ability, not an absolute rule.
我会说汉语
wǒ huì shuō hàn yǔ
I can speak Chinese.
Radicals / Keys
人
Man
#9 · rén · 2 strokes
Collocations
会说汉语
huì shuō Hàn yǔ
can speak Chinese
Examples
我会说汉语，你会吗？
I can speak Chinese, can you?
Mnemonic
[huì-] Hula the Hippo is excited to attend a 会 meeting at the waterhole 🌊. She shows everyone how she can expertly draw a horizontal line [一] in the mud with her huge foot. The meeting becomes a joyful gathering as everyone cheers for her hidden talents!
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "can" in Chinese?
"can" in Chinese is 会 (huì).
会 meaning in English
会 (huì) means "Can, to be able to; meeting".
Can in Chinese pinyin?
It is pronounced huì (written as hui). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "can" in Chinese characters?
It is written 会 and has 6 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 会?
会 belongs to the HSK 1 vocabulary list.
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