Definitions
(verb)
to agree; to be willing; to consent
Etymology
Depicts meat (⺼) attached to a bone (冎). Based on the original meaning "meat attached to bone". The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "肯" structurally combines the meat radical (月, a variant of 肉) with the component 止, originally depicting the flesh that clings to or stops at the bone, a literal sense reflected in early Chinese texts. From this concrete image of attachment, the meaning extended metaphorically to convey agreement or consent, as the idea of being firmly attached to something evolved into the expression of willingness or approval. This semantic shift from a physical description to an abstract indication of assent became entrenched in classical usage, and the character has maintained this core meaning of being willing or permitting without substantial change to its graphical form over the centuries.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他肯帮助我。
她肯接受新想法。
你肯定能成功。
我们肯合作完成项目。
如果你肯努力，就会进步。
他肯定了这个计划的重要性。
尽管困难，他仍然肯坚持下去。
你是否肯考虑改变你的策略？