能够 (néng gòu) — to be able to; can; be capable of

Definition

能够 (néng gòu) means 'to be able to' and is very similar to 能 (néng), but it's slightly more formal and often used in written or formal spoken Chinese. While 能 is fine for everyday speech ('I can go'), 能够 sounds more measured or official. 可以 (kě yǐ) is different — it emphasizes permission or that something is 'OK' to do.

verb

to be able tocanbe capable of

Examples

能够。
Tā néng gòu shuō sān zhǒng yǔyán.
He can speak three languages.
能够。
Zhège wèntí néng gòu dédào jiějué.
This problem can be solved.
能够。
Gōngsī néng gòu tígōng gèng hǎo de fúwù.
The company can provide better service.

Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.