<p>Literally <strong><a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E8%83%BD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">能</a> (néng) talks about <em>capability</em>, whereas <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">可能</a> (kěnéng) talks about <em>possibility</em></strong>.</p>

<p>Often 能 is used where "capability" takes on a practical sense (not necessarily about being physically able to do something).  Typically, 可能 is used when deciding if something is a suitable thing to do.</p>

<p>We do the same thing in English: <em>I can swim</em> (capability) vs. <em>I can swim in Summer</em> (possibility).</p>

<h2>能 and 不能</h2>

<blockquote>
  <p>我能<a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E6%B8%B8%E6%B3%B3" rel="nofollow noreferrer">游泳</a>。<br>
  <sup>Wǒ néng yóuyǒng.</sup><br>
  I am capable of swimming.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This literally implies I am physically capable of swimming.  It doesn't express whether or not I want to go swimming, if I'm allowed to go swimming, and if swimming is a suitable activity (although some of this will be clear from context).</p>

<p>A example where 能 describes a literal capability is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>罗根不是他的真名,并且还<strong>不能游泳</strong>。  (<a href="https://wx.abbao.cn/a/8631-8ab0919f6f78440e.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  <sup>Luōgēn bùshì tā de zhēnmíng, bìngqiě hái bùnéng yóuyǒng.</sup><br>
  Logan is not his real name, and he cannot swim.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An example where 能 describes a practical capability is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>戴隐形眼镜<strong>能游泳</strong>吗？  (<a href="https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/ce09321b375e402bff858f29.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  <sup>Dài yǐnxíng yǎnjìng néng yóuyǒng ma?</sup><br>
  [If someone] wears contact lenses, can they go swimming?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Of course, wearing contact lenses has no effect on one's ability to swim.</p>

<h2>可能 and 不可能</h2>

<blockquote>
  <p>你可能游泳。<br>
  <sup>Nǐ kěnéng yóuyǒng.</sup><br>
  You could possibly go swimming.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>This indicates the possibility of going swimming; the person we're saying this to may or may not be able to swim.  An actual example is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>你<strong>可能游泳</strong>或者骑自行车 (<a href="http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6455b6f30100ihnj.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  <sup>Nǐ kěnéng yóuyǒng huòzhě qí zìxíngchē</sup><br>
  You could go swimming or ride a bike</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Another example is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>春节期间的水温比较低，我觉得<strong>不可能游泳</strong>。 (<a href="http://www.mafengwo.cn/wenda/detail-1980603.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a>)<br>
  <sup>Chūnjié qíjiān de shuǐwēn bǐjiào dī, wǒ juédé bù kěnéng yóuyǒng</sup><br>
  During Spring Festival, the water temperature is comparatively low, I feel it is not possible to go swimming.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>In this example, we could change 不可能游泳 to 不能游泳 to talk about a practical impossibility.</p>

<hr>

<p><em>Note</em>: I'm a Chinese learner too.  I tried to ensure this is correct, but please let me know if I've made a mistake I'm unaware of.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-16T06:29:57.983Z
You are quite right. I couldn't have a better one.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-16T04:44:47.207Z
2018-10-16T04:44:47.207Z
Becky 李蓓
<p>So you're right about 能. <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=2&amp;wdqt=%E8%83%BD%0D%0A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a> defines it as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>can / to be able to / might possibly / ability / (physics) energy</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But, 可能 on the other hand has a different set of meanings: <a href="https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&amp;wdrst=0&amp;wdqtm=0&amp;wdqcham=2&amp;wdqt=%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MDBG</a> defines it as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>might (happen) / possible / probable / possibility / probability / maybe / perhaps / CL: 個｜个</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<p>Simply put:</p>

<ul>
<li>能 = able</li>
<li>可能 = maybe</li>
</ul>

<p>Here's two examples using 去 (go):</p>

<p>你明天能去吗？
Are you able to go tomorrow?</p>

<p>他可能去也可能不去。
He might go and then again he might not.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-16T04:43:25.297Z
2018-10-16T04:43:25.297Z
Mou某
<p>I don't understand why no one pointed out the obvious issue with the picked answer's example phrase. It's just plain wrong.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你可能游泳。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Like the second answer pointed out, it's not a verb!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>might (happen) / possible / probable / possibility / probability / maybe / perhaps</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Nobody in China would say &quot;You possibly swim&quot;.</p>
<p>And the picked answer's own translation uses &quot;go&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<p>You could possibly go swimming.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>-&gt; 你可能会去游泳。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-09-12T02:29:12.360Z
2022-09-12T02:29:12.360Z
dhwang
<p>I’ve always wonder what is the difference between the word 可能 and 能. I know it both means can, possible but is there any difference between them?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-16T02:49:12.927Z
可能= possible ; 能= can/ able to. They are different words
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-10-16T04:45:10.817Z
"can" in English has multiple meaning
炸鱼薯条德里克
<grammar><usage>
Difference between 可能 and 能
# Difference between 可能 and 能

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-16)

I’ve always wonder what is the difference between the word 可能 and 能. I know it both means can, possible but is there any difference between them?

**Tags:** grammar, usage

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 可能= possible ; 能= can/ able to. They are different words  
> **username_2**: "can" in English has multiple meaning  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-10-16. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

Literally **[能](http://youdao.com/w/%E8%83%BD) (néng) talks about *capability*, whereas [可能](http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD) (kěnéng) talks about *possibility***.

Often 能 is used where "capability" takes on a practical sense (not necessarily about being physically able to do something). Typically, 可能 is used when deciding if something is a suitable thing to do.

We do the same thing in English: *I can swim* (capability) vs. *I can swim in Summer* (possibility).

## 能 and 不能

> 我能[游泳](http://youdao.com/w/%E6%B8%B8%E6%B3%B3)。  
> Wǒ néng yóuyǒng.  
> I am capable of swimming.

This literally implies I am physically capable of swimming. It doesn't express whether or not I want to go swimming, if I'm allowed to go swimming, and if swimming is a suitable activity (although some of this will be clear from context).

A example where 能 describes a literal capability is:

> 罗根不是他的真名,并且还**不能游泳**。 ([source](https://wx.abbao.cn/a/8631-8ab0919f6f78440e.html))  
> Luōgēn bùshì tā de zhēnmíng, bìngqiě hái bùnéng yóuyǒng.  
> Logan is not his real name, and he cannot swim.

An example where 能 describes a practical capability is:

> 戴隐形眼镜**能游泳**吗？ ([source](https://jingyan.baidu.com/article/ce09321b375e402bff858f29.html))  
> Dài yǐnxíng yǎnjìng néng yóuyǒng ma?  
> [If someone] wears contact lenses, can they go swimming?

Of course, wearing contact lenses has no effect on one's ability to swim.

## 可能 and 不可能

> 你可能游泳。  
> Nǐ kěnéng yóuyǒng.  
> You could possibly go swimming.

This indicates the possibility of going swimming; the person we're saying this to may or may not be able to swim. An actual example is:

> 你**可能游泳**或者骑自行车 ([source](http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_6455b6f30100ihnj.html))  
> Nǐ kěnéng yóuyǒng huòzhě qí zìxíngchē  
> You could go swimming or ride a bike

Another example is:

> 春节期间的水温比较低，我觉得**不可能游泳**。 ([source](http://www.mafengwo.cn/wenda/detail-1980603.html))  
> Chūnjié qíjiān de shuǐwēn bǐjiào dī, wǒ juédé bù kěnéng yóuyǒng  
> During Spring Festival, the water temperature is comparatively low, I feel it is not possible to go swimming.

In this example, we could change 不可能游泳 to 不能游泳 to talk about a practical impossibility.

---

*Note*: I'm a Chinese learner too. I tried to ensure this is correct, but please let me know if I've made a mistake I'm unaware of.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: You are quite right. I couldn't have a better one.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-10-16. Score: 2

So you're right about 能. [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=2&wdqt=%E8%83%BD%0D%0A) defines it as:

> can / to be able to / might possibly / ability / (physics) energy

But, 可能 on the other hand has a different set of meanings: [MDBG](https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqtm=0&wdqcham=2&wdqt=%E5%8F%AF%E8%83%BD) defines it as:

> might (happen) / possible / probable / possibility / probability / maybe / perhaps / CL: 個｜个

---

Simply put:

* 能 = able
* 可能 = maybe

Here's two examples using 去 (go):

你明天能去吗？
Are you able to go tomorrow?

他可能去也可能不去。
He might go and then again he might not.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2022-09-12. Score: 0

I don't understand why no one pointed out the obvious issue with the picked answer's example phrase. It's just plain wrong.

> 你可能游泳。

Like the second answer pointed out, it's not a verb!

> might (happen) / possible / probable / possibility / probability / maybe / perhaps

Nobody in China would say "You possibly swim".

And the picked answer's own translation uses "go"

> You could possibly go swimming.

-> 你可能会去游泳。


---

