Word: 能 (néng)

一个人的习惯能体现他的性格。

Yí gè rén de xíguàn néng tǐxiàn tā de xìnggé.

A person's habits can reflect his character.

一墙能挡八面风

yì qiáng néng dǎng bāmiàn fēng

one wall can block winds from eight directions

一天能睡八个小时，简直是奢望。

Yì tiān néng shuì bā gè xiǎoshí, jiǎnzhí shì shēwàng.

Getting eight hours of sleep a day is simply too much to hope for.

一碗饭能顶三服药

yì wǎn fàn néng dǐng sān fúyào

one bowl of rice can match three doses of medicine

一美元能换多少人民币？

Yì měiyuán néng huàn duōshǎo rénmínbì?

How many renminbi can one US dollar buy?

上当学乖，吃亏学能

shàngdàngxuéguāi, chīkuī xué néng

being cheated teaches you to be sharp, taking a loss teaches you skill

不好意思，能请您重复一遍吗？

Bùhǎoyìsi, néng qǐng nín chóngfù yíbiàn ma?

I beg your pardon?

不是每个人都能成为诗人。

Bú shì měige rén dōu néng chéngwéi shīrén.

Not everyone can be a poet.

不用你的帮助我也能做到。

Búyòng nǐ de bāngzhù wǒ yě néng zuòdào.

I could have done that without your help.

不管一个人有多老，他都能学习。

Bùguǎn yí gè rén yǒu duō lǎo, tā dōu néng xuéxí.

No matter how old one may be, one can learn.

不管问了什么，她都能回答。

Bùguǎn wèn le shénme, tā dōu néng huídá.

She was able to answer whatever was asked.

不能正己，焉能正人

bùnéng zhèng jǐ, yān néng zhèng rén

if you can't set yourself straight, how can you set others straight

专家能鉴别这幅画的真假。

Zhuānjiā néng jiànbié zhè fú huà de zhēnjiǎ.

The expert can tell whether this painting is genuine or fake.

世界观不同的人也能做朋友。

Shìjièguān bùtóng de rén yě néng zuò péngyou.

People with different worldviews can still be friends.

严厉的法律能不能威慑犯罪？

Yánlì de fǎlǜ néng bùnéng wēishè fànzuì?

Can strict laws deter crime?

买大包装更实惠，能用很久。

Mǎi dà bāozhuāng gèng shíhuì, néng yòng hěn jiǔ.

Buying the big pack is more economical, and it lasts a long time.

事情没能如他所愿让他感到失望。

Shìqing méi néng rú tā suǒ yuàn ràng tā gǎndào shīwàng.

He was disappointed that things didn't turn out as he'd hoped.

事故的真相什么时候才能查明？

Shìgù de zhēnxiàng shénme shíhou cái néng chámíng?

When will the truth about the accident be established?

产品必须先过质检才能出厂。

Chǎnpǐn bìxū xiān guò zhìjiǎn cái néng chūchǎng.

Products must pass quality inspection before they leave the factory.

人们希望炼丹能让自己长生不老。

Rénmen xīwàng liàndān néng ràng zìjǐ chángshēngbùlǎo.

People hoped that making elixirs would let them live forever.

人们怎么能在飞机上睡觉？

Rénmen zěnme néng zài fēijī shàng shuìjiào?

How do people manage to sleep on the plane?

人工智能能帮我们做很多事。

Réngōngzhìnéng néng bāng wǒmen zuò hěn duō shì.

Artificial intelligence can help us do many things.

人生中能有一个知己，真不容易。

Rénshēng zhōng néng yǒu yí gè zhījǐ, zhēn bù róngyì.

It really isn't easy to have a true friend in life.

人生能有几回搏

rénshēng néng yǒu jǐ huí bó

how many times in a life can one strive all-out

人老不以筋骨为能

rén lǎo bù yǐ jīngǔ wéi néng

when old, don't take sinews and bones as your ability

人能名望高

rén néng míngwàng gāo

if a person is capable, his reputation is high

人能被吓死吗？

Rén néng bèi xià sǐ ma?

Can one die of fear?

人非圣贤，谁能无过

rénfēishèngxián, shuí néng wúguò

people are not sages; who can be without faults

人非草木，谁能无情

rénfēicǎomù, shuí néng wúqíng

people are not grass or trees; who can be without feeling

什么时候能喝到你的喜酒？

Shénme shíhou néng hē dào nǐ de xǐjiǔ?

When will we get to drink at your wedding?

从谈吐就能看出，他读过很多书。

Cóng tántǔ jiù néng kànchū, tā dúguo hěn duō shū.

You can tell from the way he speaks that he has read a lot of books.

从这些数据能推论什么？

Cóng zhèxiē shùjù néng tuīlùn shénme?

What can be inferred from this data?

他为自己的孩子能做的都做了。

Tā wèi zìjǐ de háizi néng zuò de dōu zuòle.

He did everything he could for his child.

他也许明天能来。

Tā yěxǔ míngtiān néng lái.

He may be able to come tomorrow.

他从小就很能吃苦。

Tā cóngxiǎo jiù hěn néng chīkǔ.

He has been able to endure hardship since he was a child.

他们怎样才能脱贫呢？

Tāmen zěnyàng cái néng tuōpín ne?

How can they escape poverty?

他发烧了，明天够呛能来。

Tā fāshāole, míngtiān gòuqiàng néng lái.

He has a fever, so he's unlikely to make it tomorrow.

他号称一天能看完三本书。

Tā hàochēng yì tiān néng kàn wán sān běn shū.

He claims he can finish three books in a day.

他唱歌很好，一定能夺魁。

Tā chànggē hěn hǎo, yídìng néng duókuí.

He sings very well, so he's sure to win.

他培训完以后，下周就能上岗了。

Tā péixùn wán yǐhòu, xiàzhōu jiù néng shànggǎng le.

After he finishes training, he can start the job next week.

他完全丧失了能成功的信心。

Tā wánquán sàngshīle néng chénggōng de xìnxīn.

He had lost all faith in his ability to succeed.

他已经到了能瞭解它的年纪。

Tā yǐjīng dàole néng liǎojiě tā de niánjì.

He is old enough to understand it.

他希望世人都能记住这次教训。

Tā xīwàng shìrén dōu néng jìzhu zhècì jiàoxun.

He hopes everyone in the world will remember this lesson.

他希望将来能为学校争光。

Tā xīwàng jiānglái néng wèi xuéxiào zhēngguāng.

He hopes to bring honor to his school in the future.

他希望日后能开一家自己的小店。

Tā xīwàng rìhòu néng kāi yìjiā zìjǐ de xiǎodiàn.

He hopes to open a little shop of his own someday.

他希望明年能晋升为主管。

Tā xīwàng míngnián néng jìnshēng wèi zhǔguǎn.

He hopes to be promoted to supervisor next year.

他希望有一天能走遍全球。

Tā xīwàng yǒu yì tiān néng zǒubiàn quánqiú.

He hopes to travel the whole world one day.

他怎么能当众说那种话？

Tā zěnme néng dāngzhòng shuō nàzhǒng huà?

How could he say something like that in front of everybody?

他想做什么就能做什么。

Tā xiǎng zuò shénme jiù néng zuò shénme.

He was able to do everything at will.

他明天能来吗？

Tā míngtiān néng lái ma?

Will he be able to come tomorrow?

他没有一个能依靠的朋友。

Tā méiyǒu yí gè néng yīkào de péngyou.

He doesn't have a friend he can rely on.

他没能抑制住心里的愤怒。

Tā méi néng yìzhì zhù xīnli de fènnù.

He couldn't suppress the anger in his heart.

他的女儿能背诵很多诗。

Tā de nǚ'ér néng bèisòng hěn duō shī.

His daughter is able to recite a lot of poems.

他相信他能证明它。

Tā xiāngxìn tā néng zhèngmíng tā.

He believes that he can prove it.

他能不能按时到，还是个未知数。

Tā néng bùnéng ànshí dào, háishi gè wèizhīshù.

Whether he can arrive on time is still an uncertainty.

他能做二十个引体向上。

Tā néng zuò èrshí gè yǐntǐxiàngshàng.

He can do twenty pull-ups.

他能像海豚一样游泳。

Tā néng xiàng hǎitún yíyàng yóuyǒng.

He can swim like a dolphin.

他能把标枪投掷到很远的地方。

Tā néng bǎ biāoqiāng tóuzhì dào hěn yuǎn de dìfang.

He can throw the javelin a very long way.

他能游得很快。

Tā néng yóu de hěn kuài.

He is able to swim very fast.

他能看懂俄语。

Tā néng kàn dǒng Éyǔ.

He can read in Russian.

他能继续吗？

Tā néng jìxù ma?

Can he continue?

他能解决这个问题。

Tā néng jiějué zhège wèntí.

He was able to solve the problem.

他能讲流利的日语。

Tā néng jiǎng liúlì de Rìyǔ.

He's fluent in Japanese.

他能说法语，当然还有英语。

Tā néng shuō Fǎyǔ, dāngrán háiyǒu Yīngyǔ.

He can speak French, and obviously English.

他能说流利的中文。

Tā néng shuō liúlì de Zhōngwén.

He is fluent in Chinese.

他能读得很好。

Tā néng dú de hěn hǎo.

He can read well.

他能赚多少就赚多少。

Tā néng zhuàn duōshǎo jiù zhuàn duōshǎo.

He earned as much money as possible.

他能赶上火车吗？

Tā néng gǎnshàng huǒchē ma?

Will he be able to catch the train?

他能跑多快？

Tā néng pǎo duō kuài?

How fast can he run?

他能跑得和我一样快。

Tā néng pǎo de hé wǒ yíyàng kuài.

He can run as fast as I can.

他能跑得比我快。

Tā néng pǎo de bǐ wǒ kuài.

He can run faster than I can.

他能轻松地读英语。

Tā néng qīngsōng de dú Yīngyǔ.

He can read English easily.

他能过考试的，是不是？

Tā néngguo kǎoshì de, shìbúshì?

He could pass the examination, could not he?

他能通英语甚至法语。

Tā néng tōng Yīngyǔ shènzhì Fǎyǔ.

He can speak not only English, but also French.

他能驾驭这辆大卡车吗？

Tā néng jiàyù zhè liàng dà kǎchē ma?

Can he handle driving this big truck?

他说他能改正。

Tā shuō tā néng gǎizhèng.

He says he'll correct it.

他跑得能有多快就有多快。

Tā pǎo de néng yǒu duō kuài jiù yǒu duō kuài.

He ran as fast as he could.

他身材挺拔，一眼就能看到他。

Tā shēncái tǐngbá, yìyǎn jiù néng kàndào tā.

He has a tall, straight build, so you can spot him at once.

代码要先编译才能运行。

Dàimǎ yào xiān biānyì cái néng yùnxíng.

The code has to be compiled before it can run.

传说他能让死去的人复活。

Chuánshuō tā néng ràng sǐqù de rén fùhuó.

Legend says he could bring the dead back to life.

但愿我能买一辆摩托车。

Dànyuàn wǒ néng mǎi yí liàng mótuōchē.

I wish I could buy a motorcycle.

你一个人住，能自理吗？

Nǐ yí gè rén zhù, néng zìlǐ ma?

You live alone, so can you take care of yourself?

你一分钟能做多少个仰卧起坐？

Nǐ yìfēnzhōng néng zuò duōshǎo gè yǎngwòqǐzuò?

How many sit-ups can you do in a minute?

你上完夜班，早上能睡几个小时？

Nǐ shàng wán yèbān, zǎoshang néng shuì jǐ ge xiǎoshí?

After finishing the night shift, how many hours can you sleep in the morning?

你不再能伤害到我了。

Nǐ búzài néng shānghài dào wǒ le.

You can no longer hurt me.

你中文真好，都能引用俗语了。

Nǐ Zhōngwén zhēn hǎo, dōu néng yǐnyòng súyǔ le.

Your Chinese is so good, you can quote proverbs.

你什么时候才能释怀呢？

Nǐ shénme shíhou cái néng shìhuái ne?

When will you finally be able to move on?

你什么时候能晋升？

Nǐ shénme shíhou néng jìnshēng?

When will you get promoted?

你今天晚上能来吃饭吗？

Nǐ jīntiān wǎnshang néng lái chīfàn ma?

Can you come for dinner tonight?

你们能帮我们吗？

Nǐmen néng bāng wǒmen ma?

Can you help out?

你们能猜到我有什么吗？

Nǐmen néng cāi dào wǒ yǒu shénme ma?

Can you guess what I have?

你们能稍微讲慢点么？

Nǐmen néng shāowēi jiǎng màn diǎn me?

Can you speak a little slower please?

你们能走吗？

Nǐmen néng zǒu ma?

Can you walk?

你做事能不能果断一点？

Nǐ zuòshì néng bùnéng guǒduàn yìdiǎn?

Could you be a bit more decisive when you do things?

你可能能在那里见到我。

Nǐ kěnéng néng zài nàli jiàndào wǒ.

You might see me there.

你回家时，能不能给我捎点水果？

Nǐ huíjiā shí, néng bùnéng gěi wǒ shāo diǎn shuǐguǒ?

When you go home, could you bring me some fruit?

你在任何一家邮局都能买到邮票。

Nǐ zài rènhé yìjiā yóujú dōu néng mǎi dào yóupiào.

You can buy stamps at any post office.

你应该能做到那件事。

Nǐ yīnggāi néng zuòdào nà jiàn shì.

You should be able to do that.

你应该能解决。

Nǐ yīnggāi néng jiějué.

You should be able to manage it.

你开着电视怎么能安心学习呢？

Nǐ kāizhe diànshì zěnme néng ānxīn xuéxí ne?

With the T.V. on, how can you keep your mind on your studies?