能否
néngfǒu · HSK 6
can or not
✅❌ 能 ability + 否 deny = a formal can-or-cant question
否 alone means no or to negate. Stick it after 能 (can/able) and you get a polite either-or probe — the spoken equivalent of a yes/no checkbox.
能 — 厶 (head) + 月 (body/flesh) + 匕匕 (legs)
Originally a pictograph of a bear, showing its head, body, and powerful legs. Because bears were seen as strong and capable, the character was borrowed to mean 'ability' or 'can'. A new character 熊 (with the fire radical 灬) was later created for 'bear'.