Taxonomy of meanings for 肯:　　

  • 肯 kěn (OC: khɯɯŋʔ MC: kʰəŋ) 苦等切 上 廣韻：【同肯 】
  • 肯 kěn (OC: khɯɯŋʔ MC: kʰəŋ) 苦等切 上 廣韻：【可也説文作肎骨間肉肎肎著也一曰骨無肉苦等切二 】
    • AGREE TO
      • vt+V[0]to be willing (to do something one is asked or expected to do but which one has the possibility to refuse to do), be prepared to, agree to V
      • vtoNagree to, accept
      • vtoSagree to S; accept S
      • vt(+V(0))be willing to VCH
    • ADMIT
      • INTEND
        • vt+V[0]be willing to, allow oneself to
      • ABLE
        • MEAT
          • nmmeat sticking to the bones (ZHUANG)
        • SINEW
          • nsinew; tendonCH
        • grammaticalised: rhetorical question>MODAL PARTICLES

          Additional information about 肯

          說文解字:

            Criteria
          • AGREE TO

            [ASCENDING/HORIZONTAL/DESCENDING]

            [EXPLICIT/IMPLICIT]

            [FORMAL/INFORMAL]

            [MENTAL/PRACTICAL]

            [REACTIVE/SPONTANEOUS]

            1. Nuò 諾 (ant. yǐ 已 "be unwilling") expresses a general agreement to do what is asked of one, and this is the most common word which can be used both by superiors and by inferiors when expressing agreement.

            [EXPLICIT], [FORMAL], [REACTIVE]

            2. Wéi 唯 (ant. fǒu 否 "refuse") expresses an unquestioning agreement directed at superiors to do what is asked of one.concerning a major undertaking by means of a mutual promise.

            [ASCENDING], [EXPLICIT], [FORMAL], [REACTIVE]

            3. Qī 期 refers to the entering into a typically non-hierarchical agreement concerning any form of common action by means of a mutual promise.

            [EXPLICIT], [HORIZONTAL], [INFORMAL], [SPONTANEOUS]

            4. Yuē 約 refers to the entering into a voluntary binding agreement of any kind between equals.

            [EXPLICIT], [FORMAL], [HORIZONTAL], [SPONTANEOUS]

            5. Kěn 肯 (ant. jù (ér bù shòu) 拒（而不受 ) "refuse to accede to a request") refers to a willingness to do what one might refuse to do.

            [IMPLICIT], [MENTAL]

            6. Cóng 從 "do as one is told" (ant. cí 辭 "refuse") can refer to an agreement by a superior to do as is being suggested by an inferior rather than the obeying itself. See OBEY

            [IMPLICIT], [PRACTICAL], [REACTIVE]

            Word relations
          • Synon: (AGREE TO)服/OBEY Fú 服 (ant. jiàng 強 "stubbornly refuse") is to submit to higher authority through obedience to its orders, and this submission may be either voluntary or enforced by circumstances.