Korean word

수

Pronunciation

Romanizationsu

Meaning

  • nouncan

Example

그건 할 수가 있어요.keu geon hal ssu ga i sseo yo

That can be done.

Illustration for 수 (can)

More examples

지금은 바로 할 수 없어요.chi geu meun pa ro hal ssu eop sseo yo

At the moment, it is not possible to do it right away.

Core concept

The available means that makes doing something possible.

Common phrases

  • 할 수 있다hal ssu it tta

    can

  • 그럴 수 있다keu reol ssu it tta

    may be possible

  • 어쩔 수 없다eo jjeol ssu eop tta

    there is no way

Similar words

가능성kaneungseong: The chance that a future event will happen.
확률hwangnyul: A number or percentage that shows how likely an event is.
기회kihoe: A good opening for doing something or gaining something.

Definition in Korean

어떤 일을 이루는 방법이나 수단을 가리키는 명사로, 그 방법으로 어떤 행동이 가능함을 나타낼 때 쓰인다.eo tteon i reul i ru neun pang beo bi na su da neul ka ri ki neun myeong sa ro keu pang beo beu ro eo tteon haeng dong i ka neung ha meul na ta nael ttae sseu in da

Word origin

The history of this use is uncertain, but its grammar shows a noun meaning a possible way or means.

Usage tips

  • English puts can before a verb, but Korean builds the same possibility idea around this noun, so it should not be treated as a simple one-word replacement.

Other meanings

  • waynoun
  • numbernoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word