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会
huì
can
我会说中文。
I can speak Chinese.
general
to be able to; to know how to; to have the skill to
他会游泳。
He can swim.
你会开车吗？
Can you drive?
Used for learned skills or abilities. Often paired with verbs.
general
will; shall; to be going to
明天会下雨。
It will rain tomorrow.
我会去北京。
I will go to Beijing.
Expresses future intention or prediction. Often used with time words.
general
to meet; to gather; to assemble
我们明天会面。
We will meet tomorrow.
会议在上午九点开始。
The meeting starts at 9 AM.
Refers to planned meetings or gatherings. Often used in formal contexts.
formal
association; society; club
他参加了一个读书会。
He joined a book club.
Used for organized groups with shared interests.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 会 and 能
Use 会 for learned skills (会开车) and 能 for general ability or permission (能去吗?).
Gold Rule
Future vs. Ability
会 + verb often indicates future action (会去) or learned ability (会说). Context clarifies which is intended.
Word Origin
From Old Chinese 會 (ɢoːbs, “to meet, to assemble”), cognate with Japanese 会 (kai, “meeting”), Korean 회 (hoe, “meeting”), and Vietnamese hội.
Usage Notes
会 is a versatile verb used across multiple contexts. Its meaning shifts based on context: ability (会游泳), future action (会下雨), or meetings (开会). Pay attention to the verb that follows 会 to determine the intended meaning.
Word Breakdown
会
to meet, to assemble
root汉英词典