能

Tap the pinyin to hear it

can; to be able to; might possibly; ability; (physics) energy

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Pictograph (象形字)

A bear's head 厶, body ⺼, and claws 匕

Components 厶⺼匕 ×2

ability · Heisig RSH #1464

熊 bear + cooking fire

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
不能不	bù néng bù	have to; cannot but
化学能	huà xué néng	chemical energy
能动性	néng dòng xìng	initiative; active role
高性能	gāo xìng néng	high performance
生物能	shēng wù néng	bio-energy
有能力	yǒu néng lì	able
动能车	dòng néng chē	car with a new type of propulsion system (hybrid, hydrogen-powered etc)
光能合成	guāng néng hé chéng	photosynthesis
不可能	bù kě néng	impossible; cannot
无能为力	wú néng wéi lì	(idiom) powerless to do anything about it
不能	bù néng	cannot; must not; should not
大能	dà néng	almighty
能人	néng rén	capable person; Homo habilis, extinct species of upright East African hominid
语言能力	yǔ yán néng lì	verbal ability
水能	shuǐ néng	hydroelectric power
可能性	kě néng xìng	possibility; probability
有可能	yǒu kě néng	possible; probable; possibly; probably; may; might
无能	wú néng	incompetence; inability; incapable; powerless
无所不能	wú suǒ bù néng	omnipotent
前方高能	qián fāng gāo néng	(slang) Something awesome is about to happen! (originally, in a Japanese space battleship …