The Chinese Radical: 可




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Meaning
be possible    可

Explanation

Used in these characters:
HSK 1
chair

Left: tree/wood 木, right: strange 奇 (There is a big 大 possibility (opportunity) 可, but it looks strange.) [possibility 可 = The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.]
With wood you have big possibilities, such as making: a chair.  
HSK 2
be possible, can, to approve, to permit

Nail 丁 and opening 口
The nail into the opening should be possible.  
HSK 2
elder brother

Comprises twice: possibility/can do 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
The one, who can very much (= the double of me), is my elder brother.  
HSK 2
song, to sing

Left: elder brother 哥 (2x possible 可 - [The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.]), right: lack/deficiency 欠 (A yawning person 人 is lacking sth.)
There is a double possibility that there is a deficiency in your: singing.  
HSK 3
strange, odd, weird
jī, qí
Top: big 大 (A person 人 with widely spread arms 一 appears: big), bottom: possible 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible)
It is a big possibility but it looks strange.  
HSK 3
river

Left: water 氵, right: possible 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible)
(i.e. for water transport) Water that makes things possible, is the river.  
HSK 3
interjection of surprise: Ah!, Oh!
ā, á, ǎ, à, a
Left: mouth 口, right: (exclamation of approval) 阿 (From the elevated point of a hill 阝 there is the possibility 可 [because of better sound transmission] to: shout)
A mouth on a hill can shout out: Ah! Oh!  
HSK 3
exclamation of approval or doubt
ā, ē
Left: hill 阝, right: possibility 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
(From an elevated point the sound is transmitted easily a bigger distance:) A hill gives the possibility of an exclamation (that is heard far away).  
HSK 3
to ride (an animal or bike), to sit astride

Left: horse 马/馬 (= mane, 4 legs 灬 and a tail ㄅ), right: strange, odd 奇 (There is a big 大 possibility (opportunity) 可, but it looks strange.)
A horse gives you big possibilities, when you are riding.  
HSK 4
what, how, why, which

Left: person 亻/人, right: possibility, can 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
The person can do what?  
HSK 4
to depend, to live (in a house), to lodge

Top: roof 宀, below: strange, odd 奇 = tall/big 大 and possible 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
Under the roof, there are great possibilities, because you depend on each-other.  
HSK 6
expel breath, (phonetic particle for "A"), my goodness
kē, hē
Left: mouth 口, right: be possible/can 可 (here: open mouth 'J', where sth. ロ comes out)
Out of the mouth, if it open, sth. comes, when expelling breath.  
no HSK
mountainous

Left: mountain 山, right: strange 奇 (There is a big 大 possibility (opportunity) 可, but it looks strange.)
In the mountains is the big possibility, that it is mountainous.  
no HSK
to carry on shoulder or back, burden, lotus
hé, hè
Top: plant 艹, bottom: "what" 何? (Two persons 亻, 丁 carrying a load 口 with that bar 一
For the transport of the plants the two persons use their shoulders to carry that load.  
no HSK
severe, pitiless, harsh, exacting

Top: grass/plant 艹, bottom: possibility 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
If in the grass, someone (shall find) a nail only with his mouth, you are severe and pitiless to him.  
no HSK
handle of axe, stem

Left: tree 木, right: possibility 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible)
Wood of a tree has the possibility to be used as a handle (of an axe).  
no HSK
jade-like stone

Left: king, jade 王, right: be possible, can 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
The 'jade' of the possibilities is the: jade-like.  
no HSK
to scold

Left: word 讠/言, right: be possible, can 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
With words it is possible to: scold.  
no HSK
given name of Mencius/Mengzi (follower of Confucius)

Left: vehicle 车/車 (top view with load-area 日, axle丨 & wheels 二), right: can, possibility 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
Like a vehicle with possibilities is: philosopher Mengzi  
no HSK
uneven (path), unfortunate (in life)

Left: earth 土, right: be possible, can 可 (The nail 丁 into the opening 口 should be possible.)
With the earth it is possible that it is: uneven.  

Radicals are shown here that are similar either in appearance or meaning.

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