Word
可能
Meaning in Englishpossible, feasible, practicable
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
Related sentences
Word context
What it means
可能 denotes feasibility or the capacity for something to occur or be true; used as a na-adjective and as a noun to describe what can be done or what could be the case, often in formal or analytical contexts.
Main meanings
- General sense: describes something that can happen, be done, or be true.
- As a noun within compounds, it names the state of being possible and appears in expressions like 可能性.
- Common in technical, academic, and business contexts to discuss feasibility or potential outcomes.
How to use it
Used in formal and written Japanese to express feasibility or capability; occurs in plain and polite forms; typical constructions include 可能だ, 可能です, and 可能性; frequently used in planning, analysis, and policy discussions; in casual speech, speakers may prefer more direct verbs like できる.
Variants and close terms
- 可能だ (kanō da) — casual, plain form
- 可能です (kanō desu) — polite form
- 不可能 (fukanō) — opposite meaning impossible
- 可能性 (kanōsei) — noun form meaning possibility
Composition
- 可: relates to permissibility or acceptability; used to indicate that something is allowed or possible in compounds
- 能: denotes ability or capability; together with 可 forms the concept of potential or feasibility
Word class
na-adjective (形容動詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N1
技能
ginou
technical skill, ability, capacity
N1
不可欠
fukaketsu
indispensable, essential
N1
放射能
houshanou
radioactivity
N1
本能
honnou
instinct
N1
無能
munou
inefficiency, incompetence
N1
万能
bannou
all-purpose, almighty, omnipotent
N2
可決
kaketsu
approval, adoption (e.g., motion, bill), passage
N2
可愛がる
kawaigaru
to love, to be affectionate
N2
芸能
geinou
public entertainment, performing arts
Kanji