kàolǒng 靠拢 V draw close, close up
kē 科 N classification
kēmù 科目 N (school) subject, course
kēxué 科学 [modif: 科 classification + 学 study] N science ■ 科学能解决世界上所有的问 题吗？
Kēxué néng jiějué shìjiè shang suǒyǒu de wèntí ma? Can science solve all the problems in the
world? ■ 我丈夫学科学，我学语言。Wǒ zhàngfu xué kēxué, wǒ xué yǔyán. My husband studies
science, and I study languages. 科学研究 (科研) kēxué yánjiū (kēyán) scientific research / 科学院 kēxué
yuàn academy of sciences / 中国科学院 Zhōngguó Kēxué Yuàn Chinese Academy of Sciences
kēxuéjiā 科学家 [modif: 科学 science + 家 nominal suffix] N scientist (位 wèi) ■ 这座大学有 几位世
界著名的科学家。Zhè zuò dàxué yǒu jǐ wèi shìjiè zhùmíng de kēxuéjiā. This university has
several world-renowned scientists.
kē 棵 MEASURE WORD (for plants) 三棵树 sān kē shù three trees / 一棵草 yì kē cǎo a blade of grass
kē 颗 MEASURE WORD (for beans, pearls, etc.) 一颗黄豆 yìkē huángdòu a soybean
kēlì 颗粒 N 1 pellet 2 grain
kē 磕 V knock (against something hard)
ké 咳 V cough
késou 咳嗽 [comp: 咳 cough + 嗽 cough up] V cough ■ 这个病人每天夜里都咳嗽。Zhège bìngrén měi
tiān yèli dōu késou. The patient coughs every night. ■ 你咳嗽很厉害，得去看 病。Nǐ késou hěn
lìhai, děi qù kànbìng. You’ve got a bad cough. You need to see a doctor. 咳嗽药水 késou yàoshuǐ cough
syrup
késoutáng 咳嗽糖 N cough lozenge
ké 壳 TRAD 殼 N shell (See bèiké 贝壳.)
kě 可¹ ADV 1 indeed (used before an adjective for emphasis) ■ 当父母可不容易呢！Dāng fùmǔ kě bù
róngyì ne! Being a parent is indeed no easy job! ■ 她跳舞跳得可美啦。Tā tiàowǔ tiào de kě měi
la. She dances really beautifully! 2 after all (used before a verb for emphasis) ■ 我可找到你 了！
Wǒ kě zhǎodào nǐ le! I’ve found you after all. ■ 他可出院了。Tā kě chūyuàn le. He was
discharged from the hospital after all. 3 be sure to (used in an imperative sentence for emphasis) ■
可别忘了给他发一份电子邮件。Kě bié wàngle gěi tā fā yí fèn diànzǐ yóujiàn! Be sure not to
forget to send him an e-mail. (→ Be sure to send him an e-mail.) ■ 考试的时候可要看懂题目。
Kǎoshì de shíhou kě yào kàndǒng tímù. During an examination, make sure that you understand the
questions.
NOTE: 可 kě is only used colloquially. When using 可 kě to emphasize an adjective or a verb, 啦 la, 呢 ne or
了 le is often used at the end of the sentence.
kě 可² CONJ same as 可是 kěshì
kě’ài 可爱 ADJ lovable, lovely
kěguān 可观 ADJ considerable, sizeable 一笔可观的现金 yībǐ kěguān de xiànjīn a considerable sum of cash
kějiàn 可见 CONJ it can be seen, it is thus clear
kěkào 可靠 V reliable, trustworthy ■ 很难找到可 靠的人来管理秘密文件。Hěn nán zhǎodào kěkào
de rén lái guǎnlǐ mìmìwénjiàn. It is difficult to find a trustworthy person to take care of
confidential documents. ■ 你这个消息可靠吗？Nǐ zhège xiāoxi kěkào ma? Is your news
reliable?
kěkǒu 可口 ADJ palatable, tasty
kělián 可怜 ADJ pitiful, pitiable ■ 这小孩的父母在 交通事故中死了，真可怜！Zhè xiǎohái de fùmǔ
zài jiāotōng shìgù zhong sǐ le, zhēn kělián! Both his parents died in a road accident, the poor
child!
kěnéng 可能 [comp: 可 may + 能 can] I MODAL V may, possible, possibly ■ 他两天没来上课，可能 病
了。Tā liǎng tiān méi lái shàngkè, kěnéng bìng le. He’s been absent from class for two days. He
may be ill. II N possibility ■ 这种可能是有的。Zhè zhǒng kěnéng shì yǒu de. This is possible.