“Indeed” in Chinese 4 – 可 kě

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Grammar · HSK 5
Grammar Point · HSK 5

可 kě — “Indeed”

The emphatic adverb 可 kě is used in Chinese to add emphasis to a statement, often conveying a stronger attitude or emotion such as surprise, disagreement, or certainty. It’s a casual way to stress a point or to express “indeed.”

Indeed 可 kě Chinese grammar

可 kě is an informal emphatic adverb commonly used in spoken Chinese, especially in Northern Mandarin. For written or formal contexts, it’s better to use alternatives like 确实 quèshí or 的确 díquè to convey emphasis.

1 Structure

可 kě + V or Adj

这zhè可kě真zhēn有意思yǒuyìsi！
This is actually quite interesting!
Shows surprise that it’s more interesting than expected.
你nǐ可kě来lái了le！
You’re finally here!
Shows surprise that it took you so long to get here.
他tā可kě真zhēn行xíng！
He’s really something! / He’s actually quite capable!
Shows surprise that he’s better than expected.
这个zhège人rén我wǒ可kě不bú认识rènshi！
I definitely don’t know this person!
Carries a tone of mild surprise or strong assurance.
这件zhè jiàn事shì我wǒ可kě没méi听说tīngshuō过guò！
I definitely haven’t heard about this matter!
Conveys that the speaker is not only unfamiliar with the matter, but is emphasizing it with a tone of disbelief or surprise.
这么zhème简单jiǎndān的de问题wèntí，你nǐ居然jūrán不会búhuì？你nǐ可kě得děi多duō学习xuéxí！
You can’t solve such an easy problem? You really need to study more!
教jiāo中文zhōngwén可kě真zhēn不bù容易róngyì！
Teaching Chinese is no easy task!
他tā可kě是shì专业zhuānyè的de厨师chúshī！
He’s truly a professional chef!
这件zhè jiàn事shì可kě大dà了le，千万qiānwàn不能bùnéng出错chūcuò！
This is a big deal — don’t make any mistakes!
Watch Out

可 kě + 是 shì (as in 他可是专业的厨师 tā kě shì zhuānyè de chúshī above) can look just like the conjunction 可是 kěshì, “but.” Here, though, 可 kě is simply emphasizing 是 shì (“indeed is”), not introducing a contrast — you have to rely on context and tone to tell the two apart.

2 Common Mistakes

可 kě is casual and spoken — using it in a formal or written context (a report, an essay, the news) sounds out of place.

❌
根据gēnjù研究yánjiū报告bàogào，这个zhège方法fāngfǎ可kě有效yǒuxiào！
✅
根据gēnjù研究yánjiū报告bàogào，这个zhège方法fāngfǎ确实quèshí有效yǒuxiào。
A research report is a formal, written context — 确实 quèshí (or 的确 díquè) fits the tone, while 可 kě reads as too casual and exclamatory.

3 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01This stinky tofu here is really delicious!
这家zhè jiā的de臭豆腐chòudòufu可kě好吃hǎochī了le！
👆 Tap to reveal
02You’ve finally graduated!
你nǐ可kě终于zhōngyú毕业bìyè了le！
👆 Tap to reveal
03This exam was really hard!
这次zhècì考试kǎoshì可kě难nán了le！
👆 Tap to reveal
04He’s definitely not an ordinary person!
他tā可kě不是búshì普通pǔtōng人rén！
👆 Tap to reveal
05I’ve truly never thought about this!
这件zhè jiàn事shì我wǒ可kě从来cónglái没méi想过xiǎngguò！
👆 Tap to reveal
06This road is really far — let’s take a ride.
这条zhè tiáo路lù可kě远yuǎn了le，我们wǒmen搭车dāchē去qù吧ba
👆 Tap to reveal
07You’d better be careful, don’t fall again!
你nǐ可kě得děi小心xiǎoxīn一点yìdiǎn，别bié又yòu摔倒shuāidǎo了le！
👆 Tap to reveal
08This movie is really exciting, you must go see it!
这部zhè bù电影diànyǐng可kě精彩jīngcǎi了le，你nǐ一定yídìng要yào去qù看kàn！
👆 Tap to reveal
09The owner of that shop is really fierce — don’t provoke him.
那间nà jiān店diàn的de老板lǎobǎn可kě凶xiōng了le，别bié惹rě他tā
👆 Tap to reveal
10I’ve really been waiting for you for an hour!
我wǒ可kě等děng你nǐ等děng了le一个yíge小时xiǎoshí！
👆 Tap to reveal

Related Grammar · “Indeed” in Chinese Series

→“Indeed” in Chinese 1 — 确实 quèshí(HSK 4) →“Indeed” in Chinese 2 — 的确 díquè(HSK 5) →“Indeed” in Chinese 3 — 倒是 dàoshì(HSK 6)

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