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néng to be able

10 strokes

Where the shape comes from

A bear, in the oldest forms, which came to mean capable. The bear later took a fire radical to become 熊.

Write it

Watch the order first, then trace it with the guide, then write it from memory. The model comes back over your strokes so you can see where the shape drifted.

Press Watch to see the stroke order.

Stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi via Hanzi Writer, Arphic Public License.

Three words that use it

不能 néngcannot
可能néngmaybe
能力néngability

Watch out

The mistake people make

Using it for a learned skill. That is 会. 能 is about whether circumstances allow it.