xing, hui and ke yi

[anticks]

Hey everyone.

Just a quick query. Im having problems knowing when to use these words at the right time.

Is there a general rule?

Hui and ke yi i mostly get. hui translates more to 'able' and 'ke yi' is more like 'can' in general (correct me if im wrong)..

I tend to hear ''xing'' and bu ''xing'' alot though. I dont know if its just me but it seems to be used mostly when giving a short answer but im not completely sure thats right.

Can anyone help me out on a general rule/translation of each.

Cheers

[rootfool]

会、行 and 可以 all have many meanings as a short anwser.For example:

会：

你会说普通话吗？会。can/be able to

你会做这道题吗？会。know.

你到时候会来吗？会。will.

可以：

我可以进来吗？可以。can(means permit sb do sth.)

你这次考得怎么样？还可以。not bad.

照说明书操作就可以了吗？可以了。it's right.

谁可以说出答案？我可以。can/be able to

行：

路很滑，你一个走行吗？行。can/be able to

让我先歇会儿再走，行吗？行。yes,you can.(permit)

hope it helps.

PS:If I had anything left out,please add them for anticks.

[coolnicholas]

我觉得你应该把他们放进句子里来看它的意思，你单独拿出来会有很多不同的意思

[anticks]

i shouldve mentioned that i cant read chinese im a novice

is there a rough rule or translation for each. I was told you cant really just pick which one you want to use because it wont alwayssound right.. although ke yi is the most flexible?

[semantic nuance]

Perhaps this thread of 能, 會 will help a bit.

Hope it helps!

[Lu]

There are numerous threads on hui, keyi and neng.

As to 行, as a short answer it means something like Sure, Fine, Will do, while 不行 means something like No way. It's rather colloquial, while hui and keyi can also be used in writing.

I hope this helps!

[anticks]

thanks all.. Put me on the right track for sure. So in conclusion...

NENG: To have the possibility/is to be physically able to do something

HUI: To know how to

KE YI: Allowed to/permission

XING: sure, fine, will do (bu xing = opposite/no way)

[CyraSafia]

on most occasions, when you hear XING is independently used

you can simply replace it with OK.

HUI sometimes means know how to, but also use as will, or be going to

KE YI often mean allowed to, just like "may", but also can be used as "would you......please?"

[DrZero]

For a long time I only knew "hui" as "know how to do." But then I would often hear people say things like "Ta hui zou" and eventually I learned that it could also mean "going to do something." So be careful of that; the word comes up very often in each of the meanings.

"Keyi" also comes up often in both senses. I initially only knew it as "can" which is common but later I learned of its other use as "something is OK; it will do." I noticed that my wife's aunt in China is very fond of saying "hai keyi" and "hai xing" in this latter sense.

Me: Ayi, ni de gongzuo zenmeyang?

Her: Hai xing.

Me: Tianqi tebie re. Ni juede re bu re?

Her: Hai keyi.

Me: Ni e le ma?

Her: Hai xing.

[CyraSafia]

hehe

hai keyi & hai xing has a different meaning:

just so so

Chinese often say that:)

[xiovn]

Topic I: Expressing one’s ability (can, be able to, have the ability to do something)

会huì: can, be able to, apply to abilities or skills you have or you learnt through learning.

It emphasizes the abilities or skills you have in a general term.

我会说中文。wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén. I can speak Chinese.

他会说一点儿英文。tā huì shuō yì diǎnr yīngwén. He can speak a little English.

我会开车。wǒ huì kāichē. I can drive. (I know how to drive.)

你会游泳吗？nǐ huì yǒuyǒng ma? Can you swim? (do you know how to swim?)

我不会做饭。wǒ bú huì zuòfàn. I can’t cook. (I don’t know how to cook.)

能Néng: can, be able to do something. The ability you have not through learning. It also emphasizes at certain time according to the conversation you have, you can do something. In many cases, it applies with a time phrase as well. It can be replaced by 可以 kěyǐ. It is also used to express permission or prohibition. (see Topic II.)

请问，( 这车能 )到商场吗？

qǐngwèn, ( zhè chē néng) dào shāngchǎng ma? Can (this bus) get to the Mall? (Excuse me, does this bus stop at the Mall?)

你能吃几个汉堡？nǐ néng chī jǐ gè hànbǎo? how many hamburger can you eat?

我今天不能去上课。wǒ jīntiān bù néng qù shàngkè. I can’t go to class today.

你能教我开车吗？nǐ néng jiāo wǒ kāichē ma? can you teach me (how to) drive?

我不能告诉你。wǒ bù néng gàosu nǐ. I can’t tell you.

我们八点能到吗?wǒmen 8 diǎn néng dào ma? can we arrive at 8?

The different between会huì and 能Néng is: e.g.:

我会开车，但是我现在不能开车。wǒ huì kāichē, dànshi wǒ xiànzài bùnéng kāichē.

I can drive, but now I can’t drive. (because I just had one bottle of wine, or I don’t have a license now…)

1.

A: 你会不会开车？nǐ huì bú huì kāi chē?

B: 会一点儿。huì yì diǎnr.

A: 你能教我吗？nǐ néng jiāo wǒ ma?

B: 好吧！hǎo ba.

2.

A: “love”中文怎么说？”love” zhōngwén zěnme shuō?

B: 对不起，我也不会。duì bù qǐ, wǒ yě bú huì.

3.

A: 请问，这个字怎么写？qǐngwèn, zhè gè zì zěnme xiě?

B: 对不起，我也不会，你问老师吧。duì bù qǐ, wǒ yě bú huì. nǐ wèn lǎoshī ba.

4. A: 对不起，你能再说一遍吗？duì bù qǐ, nǐ néng zài shuō yí biàn ma?

B: 好。Hǎo.

Topic II: Expressing permission or prohibition ( can, may, have the permission / prohibition or be allowed/ forbidden to do something)

能Néng & 可以 kěyǐ: the two can replace each other in most of the cases.

我能用一下你的书吗？

wǒ néng yòng yí xià nǐde shū ma? can I use your book?

上课不能吃东西。

shàngkè bù néng chī dōngxi. you can’t eat (something) in class. (eating is not allowed in class)

可以认识一下吗？kě yǐ rènshi yí xià ma? may I know you?

可以吸烟吗？kěyǐ xīyān ma? can I smoke? (is smoking allowed)