How to use 无…可…
无 + noun + 可 + verb
无…可… compresses the idea that there is no relevant thing available for an action. 无 expresses absence, the noun names what is missing, and 可 introduces what could otherwise be done with it. Common expressions concern words to say, a route to take, or people available to use or rely on. The pattern often has a concise, literary flavor.
Learn frequent combinations as complete phrases while keeping their internal logic clear. The noun is usually short, and the final verb describes the missing possibility. A sentence may use the whole expression as its predicate. This construction can express a practical lack or a figurative sense of having no options, depending on the surrounding context.
Examples with pinyin and English
我和他无话可说。
I had nothing to say to him.
公司倒闭了，小王觉得自己现在无路可走。
The company has gone bankrupt, and Xiao Wang feels that he has nowhere to go.
公司需要招聘新人了，我现在无人可用。
The company needs to recruit new people. I have no one to help me now.
从四月份开始，公司客户减少，我每天都无事可做。
Since April, the company has fewer clients, so I have nothing to do every day.
What to remember
- Use 无 to state the relevant absence.
- Let 可 + verb describe the unavailable action.
- Learn common fixed phrases alongside the productive pattern.
Practise the pattern
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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