会/會 huì — can, to know how to (a learned skill)

Meanings

1. 1

   can, to know how to (a learned skill)

   Ability that comes from having learned something — a language, swimming, driving. 不会 says you never learned it, while 不能 says something is stopping you right now.

   verb
2. 2

   will, be likely to

   verb

   Used for what is likely to happen: 明天会下雨吗？ — will it rain tomorrow?

Character breakdown

• 会/會

  huì (fourth tone, falling) kuài (fourth tone, falling)

  to know how to, to be able to (through learning); to be likely to, will; a meeting, a gathering, an association; (kuài) only in 会计, accounting

  6 strokes⿱人云Radical 人

Example sentences

• 我会说一点儿汉语。/我會說一點兒漢語。Wǒ (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) Hànyǔ. (fourth tone, falling)···

  I can speak a little Chinese.

• 明天会下雨吗？/明天會下雨嗎？Míngtiān (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) xià (fourth tone, falling) yǔ (third tone, dipping) ma? (neutral tone)···

  Is it going to rain tomorrow?

Common mistakes

• Not quite我能说汉语。

  Correct我会说汉语。

  For a skill you have studied, Chinese uses 会. 能 is about circumstance — being physically able or permitted at this moment — so 我能说汉语 suggests you have just been given permission to speak.

Similar words

Words containing 会

• 机会/機會jīhuì (first tone, high and level)chance, opportunity
• 会议/會議huìyì (fourth tone, falling)meeting, conference
• 社会/社會shèhuì (fourth tone, falling)society
• 一会儿/一會兒yíhuìr (second tone, rising)a little while, a moment
• 委员会/委員會wěi (third tone, dipping) yuán (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling)committee
• 学会/學會xué (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling)to learn
• 大会/大會dà (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling)general assembly
• 误会/誤會wùhuì (fourth tone, falling)to misunderstand, to get the wrong idea
• 协会/協會xié (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling)an association
• 董事会/董事會dǒng (third tone, dipping) shì (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling)board of directors
• 体会/體會tǐ (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling)to know from experience
• 晚会/晚會wǎn (third tone, dipping) huì (fourth tone, falling)evening party
• 约会/約會yuē (first tone, high and level) huì (fourth tone, falling)appointment
• 演唱会/演唱會yǎn (third tone, dipping) chàng (fourth tone, falling) huì (fourth tone, falling)vocal recital or concert
• 会见/會見huì (fourth tone, falling) jiàn (fourth tone, falling)to meet with (sb who is paying a visit)
• 会员/會員huì (fourth tone, falling) yuán (second tone, rising)member
• 都会/都會dū (first tone, high and level) huì (fourth tone, falling)city