不可

bùkě

adverb #2,135

Meanings

1 cannot
2 must not
3 should not

Characters

Examples

这件事不可掉以轻心。

Zhè jiàn shì bùkě diàoyǐqīngxīn.

This matter must not be taken lightly.

机不可失，时不再来。

Jī bùkě shī, shí bù zài lái.

Opportunity must not be missed; it won’t come again.

不可以在这里吸烟。

Bù kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ xīyān.

Smoking is not allowed here.

Tips

grammar

不可 is more literary and formal than 不能 or 不可以. It often appears in set phrases and written Chinese, like 不可思议 (unbelievable) or 不可能 (impossible).

Stroke Order

不 bù

可 kě