<p>可不，可不是，可不是吗，可不就是吗，etc are colloquial phrases to agree what the other has just said. </p>

<p>I'm not quite sure of the exact underlying reason, but I echo your suspicion -  <em>perhaps it's a rhetorical question like "Is it not?"</em>.</p>

<p>However, we should be cautious that sometimes it can mean <strong>negation</strong> too as in the OP's example: 这可不那么简单. In this case, we read as 这可/不那么简单. If you add 就 and 吗 in the sentence: 这可不就那么简单吗，it becomes a rhetorical question, meaning <em>Isn't it that simple</em>=<em>it is that simple</em>. </p>

<p>So, the way to determine (negative or positive) is based on the syntax and context. If 不 goes with 可，then it's positive. If 不 goes with the other part, then it's negative.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T22:51:03.143Z
[可不 + v ] or [可不 + adj] are not the same as "可不是?" See my examples 可不交稅 = able to not pay tax; 事情可不简单 = things are not actually simple
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T09:07:58.200Z
2019-11-01T04:18:47.403Z
2019-11-01T04:18:47.403Z
dan
<p>可不 and 可不是 are short forms of 可不是吗/可不就是吗? it is is a rhetorical question, meaning agreement with emphasis.</p>

<p>But in a sentence like: 这可不简单. It is a declarative sentence， meaning "This is actually not easy ". Usually used with 然而/但是 etc. meaning disagreement with previous context.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T20:34:39.153Z
2019-11-05T14:17:33.080Z
2019-11-05T14:17:33.080Z
Student222
<p>From the examples in your link, you can see "可不" is not a set term, it is two adverbs "可" (able to) and  "不" (not), followed by a verb or verb phrase</p>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>可不交稅 =可以不用交稅 (able to not pay tax)</p>

<p>可不即時作答 = 可以不用即時作答 (able to not answer right away)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Another form we  see 可不 together is "可" means "actually" and "不" means "not", followed by an adjective</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Example:</p>

<p>这件事(可)不简单 = this affair is (actually) not simple</p>

<p>要成功(可)不容易 = it is (actually) not easy to success</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>可不是 (could it be not?) functions the same as "isn't it?" in English . It is a rhetorical question (meaning it is actually a statement-- <strong>that expects the listener to agree</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T09:18:42.667Z
2019-10-31T22:47:43.000Z
2019-10-31T22:47:43.000Z
Tang Ho
<p>They are <strong>not the same word</strong>, just written the same.</p>
<p>There are several different 可's in Mandarin.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>&quot;able to; can; permitted to&quot;;</p>
</li>
<li><p>&quot;but; though&quot;;</p>
</li>
<li><p>roughly, &quot;actually&quot; &quot;so&quot;;</p>
</li>
<li><p>roughly, &quot;so&quot;, as emphasis (usually stressed)</p>
<p>and some other ones...</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>Indeed it makes no sense for it to be &quot;but not&quot; and imply agreement. It means &quot;isn't it so.&quot; instead.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-01T09:13:11.713Z
2019-11-01T09:49:16.460Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Rethliopuks
<p>I suggest you forget the link you post, I have to say there is no "可不" in Chinese.
it sound like "ilik eapp le"</p>

<p>you cant explain[可][不][是]，[可不是,.....]at the front means [indeed....]</p>

<p>然而however，这this可is不not那么that简单easy。 your example is not that complicated</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-31T05:46:05.443Z
2019-10-31T05:52:10.487Z
2019-10-31T05:52:10.487Z
name
<p>It seems a little strange that</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E4%B8%8D" rel="nofollow noreferrer">可不</a> and<br>
  <a href="http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E4%B8%8D%E6%98%AF/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">可不是</a></p>
</blockquote>

<p>(by themselves) imply agreement (something like 就是).  The textbook 标准教程HSK4上 has some examples, e.g.: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>A: 没想到咱们毕业都已经十年了。<br>
  B: <strong>可不是</strong>！时间过得太快了，真想大家。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm expecting there's an underlying reason for this I'm unaware of.  Perhaps it's a rhetorical question  like "Is it not?"</p>

<p><strong>Question</strong>: Why do 可不 and 可不是 by themselves imply agreement?</p>

<p>It seems like they should both mean "but no" (i.e., disagreement).  Indeed, they also mean this, e.g. (sourced from YouDao):</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>然而，这可不那么简单。<br>
  This will not be easy, however.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-06T20:30:30.457Z
I'd like to ask a native if they'd say that this 可 feels as a "but" to them. A "但不是吗" expression would feel too strange for you natives?
Enrico Brasil
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-07T09:01:34.623Z
you understand it correctly. when no other words followed, it just means "Isn't it?"
Daniel Yang
<phrase>
Why do 可不 and 可不是 by themselves imply agreement?
# Why do 可不 and 可不是 by themselves imply agreement?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-10-31)

It seems a little strange that

> [可不](http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E4%B8%8D) and  
> [可不是](http://youdao.com/w/%E5%8F%AF%E4%B8%8D%E6%98%AF/)

(by themselves) imply agreement (something like 就是). The textbook 标准教程HSK4上 has some examples, e.g.:

> A: 没想到咱们毕业都已经十年了。  
> B: **可不是**！时间过得太快了，真想大家。

I'm expecting there's an underlying reason for this I'm unaware of. Perhaps it's a rhetorical question like "Is it not?"

**Question**: Why do 可不 and 可不是 by themselves imply agreement?

It seems like they should both mean "but no" (i.e., disagreement). Indeed, they also mean this, e.g. (sourced from YouDao):

> 然而，这可不那么简单。  
> This will not be easy, however.

**Tags:** phrase
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'd like to ask a native if they'd say that this 可 feels as a "but" to them. A "但不是吗" expression would feel too strange for you natives?  
> **username_2**: you understand it correctly. when no other words followed, it just means "Isn't it?"  

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## 5 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-31. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

可不，可不是，可不是吗，可不就是吗，etc are colloquial phrases to agree what the other has just said.

I'm not quite sure of the exact underlying reason, but I echo your suspicion - *perhaps it's a rhetorical question like "Is it not?"*.

However, we should be cautious that sometimes it can mean **negation** too as in the OP's example: 这可不那么简单. In this case, we read as 这可/不那么简单. If you add 就 and 吗 in the sentence: 这可不就那么简单吗，it becomes a rhetorical question, meaning *Isn't it that simple*=*it is that simple*.

So, the way to determine (negative or positive) is based on the syntax and context. If 不 goes with 可，then it's positive. If 不 goes with the other part, then it's negative.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: [可不 + v ] or [可不 + adj] are not the same as "可不是?" See my examples 可不交稅 = able to not pay tax; 事情可不简单 = things are not actually simple  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2019-10-31. Score: 2

可不 and 可不是 are short forms of 可不是吗/可不就是吗? it is is a rhetorical question, meaning agreement with emphasis.

But in a sentence like: 这可不简单. It is a declarative sentence， meaning "This is actually not easy ". Usually used with 然而/但是 etc. meaning disagreement with previous context.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-10-31. Score: 1

From the examples in your link, you can see "可不" is not a set term, it is two adverbs "可" (able to) and "不" (not), followed by a verb or verb phrase

Example:

可不交稅 =可以不用交稅 (able to not pay tax)

可不即時作答 = 可以不用即時作答 (able to not answer right away)

> Another form we see 可不 together is "可" means "actually" and "不" means "not", followed by an adjective

Example:

这件事(可)不简单 = this affair is (actually) not simple

要成功(可)不容易 = it is (actually) not easy to success

> 可不是 (could it be not?) functions the same as "isn't it?" in English . It is a rhetorical question (meaning it is actually a statement-- **that expects the listener to agree**)


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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-11-01. Score: 0

They are **not the same word**, just written the same.

There are several different 可's in Mandarin.

1. "able to; can; permitted to";
2. "but; though";
3. roughly, "actually" "so";
4. roughly, "so", as emphasis (usually stressed)

   and some other ones...

Indeed it makes no sense for it to be "but not" and imply agreement. It means "isn't it so." instead.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2019-10-31. Score: -2

I suggest you forget the link you post, I have to say there is no "可不" in Chinese.
it sound like "ilik eapp le"

you cant explain[可][不][是]，[可不是,.....]at the front means [indeed....]

然而however，这this可is不not那么that简单easy。 your example is not that complicated


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