HSK · Level 72
60 words
Chinese word
可不是
Pronunciation
Pinyinkě bù shì
Meaning
- interjectionexactly
Example
他的话很有道理，可不是。tā de huà hěn yǒu dào lǐ kě bú shì
What he says makes a lot of sense. Exactly.
More examples
这家店的菜很好吃，可不是啊。zhè jiā diàn de cài hěn hǎo chī kě bú shì a
The food at this restaurant is delicious, indeed.
Core concept
A quick conversational echo that firmly confirms what another speaker has just said.
Common phrases
可不是啊kě bú shì a
exactly
可不是的kě bú shì de
exactly
Similar words
没错méi cuò: A brief spoken confirmation that a statement or judgment is correct.
对duì: A short reply expressing agreement with another person's view.
是啊shì a: A warm or surprised reply agreeing with another person's words.
Definition in Chinese
表示对前述内容的确认与强调，意思接近“确实如此”“正是如此”，多见于日常口语，可单独作为回应。biǎo shì duì qián shù nèi róng dí què rèn yǔ qiáng diào yì si jiē jìn què shí rú cǐ zhèng shì rú cǐ duō jiàn yú rì cháng kóu yǔ kě dān dú zuò wéi huí yìng
Word origin
可不是 (kěbùshì, "can it not be?") is a shortened spoken form of the rhetorical question 可不是吗 (kěbùshì ma, "can it not be?"), so a question expecting agreement becomes an emphatic confirmation.
Usage tips
- Its natural place is a spoken reply, especially when the earlier remark feels obvious or striking, while formal contexts usually call for a more neutral expression of certainty.
Other meanings
- indeedinterjection
Opposites
- 才不是cái bú shìwronginterjection