‘可能性’ (kě néng xìng) is a noun meaning ‘possibility’ — the fact or condition that something may happen or be true. It combines three characters: 可 (kě, ‘can’ or ‘may’), 能 (néng, ‘able’ or ‘capable’), and 性 (xìng, a nominal suffix meaning ‘-ness’ or ‘nature’). Together, they form an abstract noun expressing the quality or degree of being possible.

This word is commonly used in formal, academic, or cautious speech — for example, when discussing risks, opportunities, hypotheses, or uncertain outcomes. Unlike the more casual phrase ‘可能’ (kěnéng), which can function as an adjective or adverb (e.g., ‘It’s possible’), ‘可能性’ always functions as a noun and often appears with modifiers like ‘高’ (high), ‘低’ (low), ‘很大’ (very great), or ‘不存在’ (nonexistent). It frequently follows prepositions like ‘有’ (to have) or ‘存在’ (to exist).