Chinese word

依靠

Pronunciation

Pinyinyī kào

Meaning

  • verbrely on

Example

我可以依靠你吗？wǒ ké yǐ yī kào nǐ ma

Can I rely on you?

Illustration for 依靠 (rely on)

More examples

很多项目不能完全依靠政府支持，需要自己的努力。hěn duō xiàng mù bù néng wán quán yī kào zhèng fǔ zhī chí xū yào zì jǐ de nǔ lì

Many projects cannot rely entirely on government support; they need their own efforts.

Core concept

A person turns toward a nearby source and draws the help needed to keep going.

Common phrases

  • 依靠政府yī kào zhèng fǔ

    rely on the government

  • 依靠经验yī kào jīng yàn

    rely on experience

  • 依靠朋友yī kào péng yǒu

    rely on friends

Similar words

靠kào: Lean on a nearby person or thing for direct support.
依赖yī lài: Need and depend on another person or thing for strength or resources.
信任xìn rèn: Have enough trust in someone to count on their help with important matters.

Definition in Chinese

在需要时向他人或事物寻求帮助、支持或依托zài xū yào shí xiàng tā rén huò shì wù xún qiú bāng zhù zhī chí huò yī tuō

Word origin

依靠 (yīkào, "rely on") pairs 依 (yī, "lean on") with 靠 (kào, "lean against"), so the repeated image of leaning expresses dependence rather than simple proximity.

Usage tips

  • Chinese can place the helper or resource directly after this verb, whereas English puts a preposition after "rely," so this contrast helps prevent a common word-order error.

Other meanings

  • supportnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word