许可 (xǔ kě) is a formal noun meaning 'permission' or 'license' — the official authorization to do something that would otherwise be restricted. The character 许 means 'to allow' or 'to grant', while 可 means 'can' or 'permissible'; together, they emphasize authorized capability. This word is commonly used in administrative, legal, and institutional contexts — such as government approvals, medical procedures, or business operations.

Unlike more casual terms like 同意 (tóng yì, 'agreement') or 批准 (pī zhǔn, 'approval'), 许可 implies an official, often documented, right granted by an authority. It frequently appears in compound nouns like 营业许可 (yíng yè xǔ kě, 'business license') or 行医许可 (xíng yī xǔ kě, 'medical practice license'). While it can occasionally function as a verb in very formal writing, its primary and most frequent use is as a noun.