可以不
kěyǐ bù
can not
你可以不去参加这个会议。
You can not attend this meeting.
informal
Expresses that something is optional or not required; indicates that an action or state is not necessary.
你可以不回答这个问题。
You don't have to answer this question.
这件事可以不做。
This thing doesn't have to be done.
Often used to soften a request or make an action sound less mandatory.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Politeness
Using '可以不' makes requests sound more polite and less demanding.
Gold Rule
Optionality
'可以不' is used to indicate that an action is optional, not mandatory.
Word Origin
Combination of 可以 (can) and 不 (not), forming a phrase to indicate optionality.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in everyday conversation to indicate that something is not required or optional. It is often used to make requests sound less demanding.
Word Breakdown
可以
can
root不
not
root汉英词典