不可

Traditional: 不可

#1357 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

cannot, must not

Word origin

A compound of the negative 不 (bù, not) and 可 (kě, may, can), together meaning cannot or must not. In the pattern 非...不可 it expresses something that absolutely must happen.

Origin
compound
Root
不 (bù, not) + 可 (kě, may)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 不

Stroke order for 可

Examples

This simply must be done.

The opportunity must not be missed.

This matter must not be told to others.

yān

You must not smoke here.

This mistake is unforgivable.

不可 (bù kě) means cannot or must not. It is used to forbid an action or, in the 非...不可 pattern, to insist one is unavoidable.

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This word is part of lesson 28.