可 means “possible, allowed”

か · ka

Also: can, passable, approval

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カ, コク

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 5 strokes

The story

A mouth (口) under a hooked line (丁): picture a voice saying okay. On Japanese signs 可 by itself means allowed: カード可, cards accepted, or ペット可, pets welcome. Even 可愛い, cute, is spelled with kanji meaning "lovable".

Used in 可能 (kanou, possible), 許可 (kyoka, permission), and 可愛い (kawaii, cute)

More from Council & Debate

• 断 refuse
• 否 no
• 許 permit
• 賛 approve
• 議 debate
• 対 versus
• 定 fix
• 選 choose
• 決 decide
• 反 against
• 判 judgment
• 認 recognize

Learn 可 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.