Comparing "hui," "neng," "keyi"

Level

B1 / HSK2
Level

B1
Level

HSK2
Similar to
- Expressing ability or possibility with "neng" (A1)
- Expressing permission with "keyi" (A1)
Similar to
- Expressing ability or possibility with "neng" (HSK1)
- Expressing permission with "keyi" (HSK2)
Used for

Describing actions, Requesting, Expressing possibility, Expressing ability, Expressing permission with "keyi"
Keywords

会, 可以, 能

This is one of the trickiest comparisons, as 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) are often translated as "can." Sometimes they are explained as: 会 means "know how to," 能 means "to be able to," and 可以 means "to have permission to." Actually, they overlap somewhat.

Basic Meanings

The words 会 (huì), 能 (néng), and 可以 (kěyǐ) actually overlap a little in meaning. The first step is to understand their basic meanings, though:

会 (huì) can mean "know how to" and can express an action that you had to learn or be trained in to do.
能 (néng) means "to be able to" and expresses having a certain ability or having obtained a certain minimum requirement.
可以 (kěyǐ) means "may" or "to be allowed to" and expresses having another person's permission.

As for overlap, this graphic helps explain nicely:

The regions marked by letters are explained in the sections below:

A: ability in the sense of “know how to” (会 (huì) is more common than 能 (néng))
B: permission/request (use 能 (néng) or 可以 (kěyǐ))
C: possibility (use 能 (néng) or 可以 (kěyǐ))
D: permission not granted (use 不可以 (bù kěyǐ))
E: impossibility (use 不能 (bù néng))

Expressing Ability

Both 会 and 能 can be used to express ability in something.

Structure

会／能 + Verb

Examples

我们都会游泳。Wǒmen dōu huì yóuyǒng.We all can swim.
他不会修电脑。Tā bù huì xiū diànnǎo.He doesn't know how to fix computers.
你真的能吃三碗米饭吗？Nǐ zhēnde néng chī sān wǎn mǐfàn ma?Are you really able to eat three bowls of rice?

Example dialogue:

A: 你会说中文吗？A: Nǐ huì shuō Zhōngwén ma?Can you speak Chinese?
B: 不好意思，我只能说一点。B: Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ zhǐ néng shuō yīdiǎn.Sorry, I can only speak a little.

Expressing Permission

可以 is used to ask for or give permission. However, 能 can also be used to replace 可以 interchangeably.

Note: When a question is asked using 能/可以 it can be answered with 不能/不可以, meaning no, and only 可以 meaning yes. Chinese don't really answer with just 能。

Structure

可以 / 能 + Verb

Examples

我可以走了吗？Wǒ kěyǐ zǒu le ma?Am I allowed to leave now?
你 能不能 帮我一下吗？Nǐ néng bu néng bāng wǒ yīxià ma?Could you help me a bit?
动物不能进。Dòngwù bù néng jìn.Animals are not allowed to come in.

Example dialogue:

A: 我能在这里抽烟吗？A: Wǒ néng zài zhèlǐ chōuyān ma?Can I smoke here?
B: 不可以。B: Bù kěyǐ.No, you can't.

Expressing Possibility

能 and 可以 can also be used to express possibility.

Example

明天你能早点来吗？Míngtiān nǐ néng zǎodiǎn lái ma?Is it possible for you to come al little earlier tomorrow?
可不可以 换一个？Kě bù kěyǐ huàn yī gè?Is it possible to change it?
能不参加吗？Néngbù cānjiā ma?Is it possible to not attend?

Example dialogue:

A: 能不能 取消今天的课？A: Néng bù néng qǔxiāo jīntiān de kè?Is it possible to cancel today's lesson?
B: 不能。B: Bù néng.Impossible.

Talking about the Future

Only 会 can be used to mean something is going to happen. It expresses that something in the future will happen and is often used to express trends or possibilities.

Examples

你们会结婚吗？Nǐmen huì jiéhūn ma?Are you going to get married?
我不会这么做。Wǒ bù huì zhème zuò.I won't do it like this.
你会怪我吗？Nǐ huì guài wǒ ma?Will you blame me?

Example dialogue:

A: 今天会下雨吗？Jīntiān huì xiàyǔ ma?Is it going to rain today?
B: 我看不会。Wǒ kàn bù huì.I don't think it will.

Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis

By placing 很 (hěn) before 会, it adds emphasis to the level of ability and skill on the action presented. 很会 is commonly used to mean 'to be good at" and expresses being very skillful at something, or doing something very well. It can be translated as "really can," as in "you really can speak Chinese!," in other words, "you are good at speaking Chinese."

When 很 is placed in front of 能, the meaning takes on a amazed/surprised tone on the action. Although more rarely used, it emphasis quantity and amount. 很能 is most commonly used with 吃(chī) to eat, and 睡 (shuì) to sleep. It's like the English equivalent of saying you "can really" do something. For example saying that someone "can really sleep" means that they can sleep a lot.

Note: 很可以 is not a phrase and therefore can not be used with 会 to add emphasis. Other adverbs like 真(), 太 (), 这么() etc. can also be used.

Structure

很 + 会／能 + Verb

Examples

这个女生很会打扮。Zhège nǚshēng hěn huì dǎban.This girl knows how to dress up really well.
我妈妈很会做饭。My mom cooks very well.Wǒ māma hěn huì zuòfàn.My mother really knows how to cook.
他很会说话。The subject has good speaking skills.Tā hěn huì shuōhuà.He's a smooth talker.
他很能说。Tā hěn néng shuō.He's quite a talker.

Examples used with other adverbs:

你真能吃 !The subject can eat a lot.Nǐ zhēn néng chī!Wow, you really can eat!
中国人真会吃 !The subject has great knowledge about food and its culture, a true connoisseur.Zhōngguó rēn zhēn huì chī!Chinese people really can eat.
他太能睡了。The subject can sleep a lot, for many hours.He can really sleep.
没想到你这么能吃苦。I didn't expect you to be a person who can handle so many burdens.

她很可以吃。

他很可以说。

Similar expression with different meanings

我现在能跳舞了，我的脚伤好了。 I am able to dance now, my foot is better. (The condition changed)
我现在会跳舞了，我学了两个月。 I know how to dance now, I studied for two months. (It's a learned skill)
我现在可以跳舞了，我爸爸同意了。 I'm allowed to dance now, my dad agreed. (The dad gave permission)

我们学了半年中文，现在我会说一点中文。 We have learned half a year of Chinese, now I know how to speak a little bit of Chinese (The speaker now knows a new language)
你能用中文演讲吗？ Can you use Chinese to make a speech? (The speaker is asking if that person has the ability to)
我们已经说了两个小时英文，现在 可以 说中文吗？ We have already spoken two hours of English, can we speak Chinese now? (The speaker is asking for permission)

我会做中国菜。 I know how to make Chinese food.
你能吃吗？Can you eat (do you have the ability to) eat spicy Chinese food?
我们可以去吃中国菜吗？Can we go eat Chinese food? (Asking for permission)

Similarities

会，能，可以 share a few essential rules. The first common rule shared by these three is that none of them can be followed by an aspectual particle.

他会做饭。

He knows how to eat.

他会过做饭。

Secondly, 会, 能, and 可以 have to come before any prepositional phrases or descriptive adverbial modifiers in the sentence.

你可以把课本再看一次，看完以后再来考试。You can read over the textbook again, when you're done come back to take the test.
你把课本可以再看一次，看完以后再来考试。
他们会努力地读一读。They will seriously read it over.
他们努力地会读一读。

Example dialog

A: 我可以和他们一起踢足球吗？ Can I play soccer with them? (Am I allowed?)
B: 你的腿还没好，现在你不能踢。 Your foot still isn't better. You can't go right now. (His rule prohibits it)
A: 它会好吗？ Will it get better? (会 indicates the future)
B: 嗯，你放心吧，很快就会好的。 Yes, don't worry, it will get better soon.

For a good visualization on how these three overlap, check out the Chinese Modal Verb Venn Diagram.

Sources and further reading

Comparing "hui," "neng," "keyi"

Contents

Basic Meanings

Expressing Ability

Structure

Examples

Expressing Permission

Structure

Examples

Expressing Possibility

Example

Talking about the Future

Examples

Using Adverbs to Add Emphasis

Structure

Examples

Similar expression with different meanings

Similarities

Example dialog

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites