认可 (rèn kě) is a formal, transitive verb meaning 'to approve' or 'to acknowledge' — especially in official, professional, or social contexts where acceptance or validation is required. The first character 认 (rèn) means 'to recognize' or 'to identify', and the second 可 (kě) means 'permissible' or 'acceptable'; together, they convey the idea of recognizing something as valid, legitimate, or worthy of approval. It often implies an authoritative or collective judgment — for example, when an institution endorses a qualification, a manager approves a proposal, or peers accept someone’s contribution.

This word is commonly used in written Chinese and formal speech; it's less frequent in casual conversation, where simpler verbs like 同意 (tóng yì, 'to agree') or 接受 (jiē shòu, 'to accept') may be preferred. It frequently appears with objects such as 意见 (opinions), 资格 (qualifications), 成果 (achievements), or 努力 (efforts), and is often paired with subjects like 公司 (company), 学校 (school), or 国际社会 (international community).