Meaning
不可以 expresses prohibition or lack of permission. It literally means 'not can/may' and is used when telling someone they are not allowed to do something, or when asking if something is not permitted. It is stronger and more direct than 不能 when expressing rules or prohibitions.
Usage
不可以 is commonly used by parents, teachers, or authority figures to forbid actions, and appears frequently in rules and regulations. It's the standard negative response to questions like 可以吗? (May I...?). In casual speech, it can be shortened to 不行 for a blunter refusal. The tone is firm but not necessarily harsh.
Examples
- 01对不起，这里不可以拍照。, .Sorry, you're not allowed to take photos here.
- 02妈妈说我不可以吃太多糖。.Mom said I can't eat too much candy.
Characters
Common collocations
- 这里不可以吸烟smoking is not allowed here
- 不可以这样you can't do it this way
- 绝对不可以absolutely not allowed
Antonyms
Origin
可以 historically combines 可 (permissible) and 以 (to use/do), creating the meaning 'permissible to do' or 'may do.' Adding the negative 不 creates the opposite meaning.