How to pronounce ke yi (可以) in Chinese
Hear 可以 (kě yǐ) spoken, see what it means, then record yourself for instant AI feedback on your pronunciation.
可以
kě yǐ
Characters & meanings
can; may
old variant of 以
Common mistake
Written 3-3 but spoken 2-3: kě rises like a second tone before yǐ. The k is strongly aspirated — a clear puff before the vowel.
Tone change in this word
Third-tone sandhi: kě + yǐ is pronounced ké yǐ — the first syllable becomes rising.
Example sentence
这里可以拍照吗？
Zhèlǐ kěyǐ pāizhào ma?
Can I take photos here?
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