Collins Chinese Dictionary Plus (3rd edition), 2011:
can 1
[kæn]
I n
[c]
1 (for food, drinks) 罐头(頭) guàntou [个 gè]
(with lid) 容器 róngqì
(for petrol, oil) 罐 guàn [个 gè]
(with lid) 容器 róngqì
(for petrol, oil) 罐 guàn [个 gè]
- I had to take a can to the garage to get some petrol.
我不得不带(帶)个(個)罐去加油站买(買)汽油。 Wǒ bùdebù dài gè guàn qù jiāyóuzhàn mǎi qìyóu.
2
(=contents) 一听(聽)所装(裝)的量 yī tīng suǒ zhuāng de liàng [听 tīng]
3
(=contents and container) 一罐 yīguàn
II vt
[+ food, drink] 罐装(裝) guànzhuāng
- to carry the can
(Brit) (inf) 承担(擔)责(責)任 chéngdān zérèn
can 2
[kæn]
negative
(conditional, pt cannot, can't)could aux vb
1
(=be able to) 能 néng
(in general) 我能帮(幫)你吗(嗎)？ wǒ néng bāng nǐ ma?
- can I help you?
(in shop) 您要买(買)点(點)儿(兒)什么(麼)？ nín yào mǎi diǎnr shénme?
(in general) 我能帮(幫)你吗(嗎)？ wǒ néng bāng nǐ ma?
- you can do it if you try
如果试(試)试(試)的话(話)你是能做的 rúguǒ shìshì de huà nǐ shì néng zuò de - I can't hear/see anything
我什么(麼)也听(聽)不见/看不见(見) wǒ shénme yě tīng bù jiàn/kàn bù jiàn - I can't remember
我不记(記)得了 wǒ bù jìde le - she can't sleep
她不能入睡 tā bùnéng rùshuì - you can always try telephoning him at home
你可以试(試)着(著)往他家里(裡)打电(電)话(話) nǐ kěyǐ shìzhe wǎng tā jiāli dǎ diànhuà - as you can imagine…
就如你能想象的那样(樣)… jiù rú nǐ néng xiǎngxiàng de nàyàng… - how can I ever thank you?
我该(該)怎么(麼)谢(謝)你才好呢？ wǒ gāi zěnme xiè nǐ cái hǎo ne？ - I can't understand why…
我不能理解为(為)什么(麼)… wǒ bùnéng lǐjiě wèishénme…
2 (=know how to) 会(會) huì
- I can swim/drive
我会(會)游泳/开(開)车(車) wǒ huì yóuyǒng/kāichē
- can you play a musical instrument?
你会(會)一种(種)乐(樂)器吗(嗎)？ nǐ huì yī zhǒng yuèqì ma？
3 (permission, requests) 可以 kěyǐ
- can I use your phone?
我可以用你的电(電)话(話)吗(嗎)？ wǒ kěyǐ yòng nǐ de diànhuà ma? - can you help me?
你可以帮(幫)我一下吗(嗎)？ nǐ kěyǐ bāng wǒ yīxià ma? - can't you leave me alone?
你就不能让(讓)我单(單)独(獨)呆一会(會)儿(兒)吗(嗎)？ nǐ jiù bùnéng ràng wǒ dāndú dāi yīhuìr ma？ - this cannot be allowed to continue
不能再这(這)样(樣)下去了 bùnéng zài zhèyàng xiàqù le
4 (disbelief, puzzlement)▶ it can't be true! 这(這)不可能是真的！ zhè bù kěnéng shì zhēn de!
- you can't be serious!
你不是认(認)真的吧！ nǐ bù shì rènzhēn de ba! - it can't have been them!
不可能是他们(們)！ Bù kěnéng shì tāmen！ - what can he want?
他究竟想要什么(麼)？ tā jiūjìng xiǎng yào shénme？
5 (possibility) 可能 kěnéng
- the illness can last for up to six months
病情可能持续(續)近6个(個)月 bìngqíng kěnéng chíxù jìn liù gè yuè - he can be very unpleasant
他有时(時)会(會)非常不高兴(興) tā yǒushí huì fēicháng bù gāoxìng - can she have finished already?
她有可能已经(經)完成了吗(嗎)？ tā yǒu kěnéng yǐjīng wánchéng le ma? - how can millions of dollars disappear?
成百万(萬)的美金怎么(麼)可能消失呢？ chéng bǎiwàn de měijīn zěnme kěnéng xiāoshī ne？
can 、could 和 be able to 都是用来表示某人有能力做某事，后接原形动词。can 或 be able to 的现在式都可以指现在，但 can 更为常用。They can all read and write…The snake is able to catch small mammals. could 或 be able to 的过去式可用来指过去。will 或 shall 加 be able to 则用于表示将来。指在某一特定时间能够做某事，用 be able to 。After treatment he was able to return to work. can 和 could 用于表示可能性。could 指的是某个特定情况下的可能性，而 can 则表示一般情况下的可能性。Many jobs could be lost…Too much salt can be harmful. 在谈论过去的时候，使用 could have 加过去分词形式。It could have been much worse. 在谈论规则或表示许可的时候，用 can 表示现在，用 could 表示过去。They can leave at any time. 注意，当表示请求时，can 和 could 两者都可。Can I have a drink?…Could we put the fire on? 但表示建议时只能使用 could 。You could phone her and ask.