Chinese word

能干

Pronunciation

Pinyinnéng gàn

Meaning

  • adjectivecapable

Example

她在公司里很能干，大家都夸她。tā zài gōng sī lǐ hěn néng gàn dà jiā dōu kuā tā

She is very capable at work, and everyone praises her.

Illustration for 能干 (capable)

More examples

老师认为他在组织活动方面很能干。lǎo shī rèn wéi tā zài zǔ zhī huó dòng fāng miàn hěn néng gàn

The teacher thinks he is very capable at organizing activities.

Core concept

Practical skill that keeps everyday work moving toward a good result.

Common phrases

  • 能干的员工néng gàn de yuán gōng

    capable employee

  • 做事很能干zuò shì hěn néng gàn

    handle things skillfully

  • 在工作中能干zài gōng zuò zhōng néng gàn

    be capable at work

Similar words

干练gàn liàn: Experienced and level-headed, with an efficient, polished way of handling matters.
称职chèn zhí: Meeting the requirements of a job or role and carrying out its duties properly.
有能力yǒu néng lì: Having the ability or skills needed for a particular task or job.

Definition in Chinese

有能力完成工作或处理事务，做事有效率且可靠。yǒu néng lì wán chéng gōng zuò huò chú lǐ shì wù zuò shì yǒu xiào lǜ qiě kě kào

Word origin

The formation of 能干 (nénggàn, "capable") from 能 (néng, "be able") and 干 (gàn, "do") presents capability through effective action.

Usage tips

  • In spoken Chinese, it can describe both professional work and practical household tasks, making it useful beyond office vocabulary.

Other meanings

  • competentadjective
  • skillfuladjective

Opposites

  • 无能wú néngincapableadjective
  • 不胜任bú shèng rènnot competentadjective

Word lists with this word