"can is can" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_text": "See can (“fine, acceptable, possible”, Singlish, intransitive).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "phr"
      },
      "expansion": "can is can",
      "name": "en-head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Singapore",
        "3": "Singlish"
      },
      "expansion": "(Singapore, Singlish)",
      "name": "tlb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "76 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English tautophrases",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "80 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Singapore English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "91 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Singlish",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              78,
              88
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2015 June 25, Skye Soon, “Skye High in Hong Kong: Places”, in skyesoon.com:",
          "text": "I packed lots of sleeveless clothes, sunblock, and of course a cap. Slippers? Can is can but Hong Kongers are not usually so sloppy la. People here wear pretty nice shoes, and the youngsters are carrying drawstring bags.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              69,
              79
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2021 January 26, G Tan, “Thought Ambush’s Clothes Peg Earring Was Wild? Here Are 3 More Mind-Blowing Accessories”, in you.co, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2021:",
          "text": "How about turning one man’s trash into another man’s treasure? Well, can is can.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "While something is possible or makes sense in theory, it may not be as straightforward or sensible as initially thought, or may prove to be less successful in practice."
      ],
      "id": "en-can_is_can-en-phrase-MtOX6Zx0",
      "links": [
        [
          "possible",
          "possible"
        ],
        [
          "in theory",
          "in theory"
        ],
        [
          "straightforward",
          "straightforward"
        ],
        [
          "sensible",
          "sensible"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "Singlish"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              87,
              97
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2023 December 11, Zara Zhuang, quoting Sanchia Tan, “#GraziaGameChangers: Sanchia Tan On How Design, Textiles And Weave Are Intertwined”, in grazia.sg, archived from the original on 11 Dec 2023:",
          "text": "This has helped a lot when it comes to taking on different projects. We try to have a “can is can” attitude, rather than saying no when we’re uncertain or feel intimidated by unfamiliar materials. Instead, we just say, “Let’s do it and see how it goes.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to reassure someone that something is definitely possible or doable, by reinforcing the definitiveness of a previous statement of can."
      ],
      "id": "en-can_is_can-en-phrase-Zqiq477a",
      "links": [
        [
          "reassure",
          "reassure#English"
        ],
        [
          "definitiveness",
          "definitiveness#English"
        ],
        [
          "can",
          "can#English:_sm2"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "Singlish"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkæn ɪz ˈkæn/",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈkʰɛn˦ ɪs˨ ˈkʰɛn˦]",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[- ˈkʰɛn˦˧]",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[- ˈkʰɛn˨˦]",
      "note": "for sense 1 before a pause in speech",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "variant"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "can is can"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English phrases",
    "English tautophrases",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Singapore English",
    "Singlish"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "See can (“fine, acceptable, possible”, Singlish, intransitive).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "phr"
      },
      "expansion": "can is can",
      "name": "en-head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Singapore",
        "3": "Singlish"
      },
      "expansion": "(Singapore, Singlish)",
      "name": "tlb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "phrase",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              78,
              88
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2015 June 25, Skye Soon, “Skye High in Hong Kong: Places”, in skyesoon.com:",
          "text": "I packed lots of sleeveless clothes, sunblock, and of course a cap. Slippers? Can is can but Hong Kongers are not usually so sloppy la. People here wear pretty nice shoes, and the youngsters are carrying drawstring bags.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              69,
              79
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2021 January 26, G Tan, “Thought Ambush’s Clothes Peg Earring Was Wild? Here Are 3 More Mind-Blowing Accessories”, in you.co, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2021:",
          "text": "How about turning one man’s trash into another man’s treasure? Well, can is can.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "While something is possible or makes sense in theory, it may not be as straightforward or sensible as initially thought, or may prove to be less successful in practice."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "possible",
          "possible"
        ],
        [
          "in theory",
          "in theory"
        ],
        [
          "straightforward",
          "straightforward"
        ],
        [
          "sensible",
          "sensible"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "Singlish"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "bold_text_offsets": [
            [
              87,
              97
            ]
          ],
          "ref": "2023 December 11, Zara Zhuang, quoting Sanchia Tan, “#GraziaGameChangers: Sanchia Tan On How Design, Textiles And Weave Are Intertwined”, in grazia.sg, archived from the original on 11 Dec 2023:",
          "text": "This has helped a lot when it comes to taking on different projects. We try to have a “can is can” attitude, rather than saying no when we’re uncertain or feel intimidated by unfamiliar materials. Instead, we just say, “Let’s do it and see how it goes.”",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Used to reassure someone that something is definitely possible or doable, by reinforcing the definitiveness of a previous statement of can."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "reassure",
          "reassure#English"
        ],
        [
          "definitiveness",
          "definitiveness#English"
        ],
        [
          "can",
          "can#English:_sm2"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "Singlish"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈkæn ɪz ˈkæn/",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[ˈkʰɛn˦ ɪs˨ ˈkʰɛn˦]",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[- ˈkʰɛn˦˧]",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "[- ˈkʰɛn˨˦]",
      "note": "for sense 1 before a pause in speech",
      "tags": [
        "Singapore",
        "variant"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "can is can"
}