可逆

kěnì

adjective #32,778

Meanings

1 reversible
2 (math.) invertible

Characters

reverse/contrary

Examples

这个化学反应是可逆的。

Zhège huàxué fǎnyìng shì kěnì de.

This chemical reaction is reversible.

时间不可逆，过去就过去了。

Shíjiān bù kěnì, guòqù jiù guòqù le.

Time is not reversible — what's past is past.

Tips

usage

Common in scientific and technical writing — 可逆反应 (reversible reaction), 可逆矩阵 (invertible matrix), 不可逆 (irreversible). The negative form 不可逆 is also widely used in everyday speech to describe things you can't undo (illness, damage, time).

Stroke Order

可 kě

逆 nì