HSK 5
用副词“可”表示强调
yòng fù cí “ kě ” biǎo shì qiáng diào
Using the Adverb '可' (kě) for Emphasis
Explanation
可 (kě) here is a mood adverb (an adverb expressing the attitude and nuance of the sentence), used to EMPHASIZE the speaker's emotion, reminder, or request, equivalent to "really", "definitely", "absolutely", "finally".
Subject + 可 (kě) + verb / modal verb (a modal verb such as 能 néng can, 得 děi must) / adjective + ... For example: 你可得注意身体 (you definitely must take care of your health), 你可不能… (you absolutely must not...).
In spoken language, when expressing strong emotion (joy, impatience: 你可来了 - you've finally come), or heartfelt urging (你可得…/你可不能… - you definitely must / absolutely must not). The sentence often ends with 呀/啊/了 to strengthen the tone.
This 可 (kě) is an emphatic adverb, completely different from 可 in 可以 (kěyǐ - can) or 可是 (kěshì - but). Here 可 carries no real meaning, only heightening emotional nuance.
Vietnamese learners easily translate 可 as "can" or "but" and misunderstand the sentence. In this pattern 可 only emphasizes tone; it must be rendered freely as "really / definitely / finally" depending on context; don't translate 可 into a meaning of its own.
Examples
You've finally come, I was worried sick!
You definitely must take care of your health — being sleep-deprived every day just won't do!
You absolutely must not let everyone down!
Practice
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Learn “用副词“可”表示强调” effectively
The grammar point “用副词“可”表示强调” (Using the Adverb '可' (kě) for Emphasis) is one of the key structures at HSK 5. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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