Kilo Lingo

(kě bú shì) - exactly, isn't it just in Mandarin

shì

Traditional: 可不是

Line drawing of 可不是
Coloured illustration of 可不是
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Translation

exactly, isn't it just

Word origin

可不是 means exactly or isn't it just, an emphatic agreement. 可 (kě) is an emphatic particle here. 不 (bù) is the negative, a pictograph often read as a sprout that does not grow up. 是 (shì) means to be (日 sun over 正 correct).

Origin
compound
Root
可 (kě, emphatic) + 不 (bù, not) + 是 (shì, to be)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 可

Stroke order for 不

Stroke order for 是

Examples

Isn't it just, the weather is really cold.

Exactly, I think so too.

Isn't it true, he really is a good person.

Isn't that right, it really is cold today!

Exactly, I think so too.

可不是 (kě bú shì) is a colloquial expression meaning exactly or isn't it just.

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This word is part of lesson 20.