diff --git a/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md b/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
index 23503ce411eda5..0ddd3858c97603 100644
--- a/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
+++ b/docs/reference-guides/data/data-core.md
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ _Parameters_
 
 -   _state_ `State`: Data state.
 -   _action_ `string`: Action to check. One of: 'create', 'read', 'update', 'delete'.
--   _resource_ `string | Record< string, any >`: REST resource to check, e.g. 'media' or 'posts'.
+-   _resource_ `string | EntityResource`: Entity resource to check. Accepts entity object `{ kind: 'root', name: 'media', id: 1 }` or REST base as a string - `media`.
 -   _id_ `EntityRecordKey`: Optional ID of the rest resource to check.
 
 _Returns_
diff --git a/packages/core-data/README.md b/packages/core-data/README.md
index 90f53a61a28331..8c262ebeee8d19 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/README.md
+++ b/packages/core-data/README.md
@@ -339,7 +339,7 @@ _Parameters_
 
 -   _state_ `State`: Data state.
 -   _action_ `string`: Action to check. One of: 'create', 'read', 'update', 'delete'.
--   _resource_ `string | Record< string, any >`: REST resource to check, e.g. 'media' or 'posts'.
+-   _resource_ `string | EntityResource`: Entity resource to check. Accepts entity object `{ kind: 'root', name: 'media', id: 1 }` or REST base as a string - `media`.
 -   _id_ `EntityRecordKey`: Optional ID of the rest resource to check.
 
 _Returns_
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js b/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
index 446ba8466161d0..d9b90e593620b7 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/resolvers.js
@@ -352,10 +352,11 @@ export const getEmbedPreview =
  * Checks whether the current user can perform the given action on the given
  * REST resource.
  *
- * @param {string}  requestedAction Action to check. One of: 'create', 'read', 'update',
- *                                  'delete'.
- * @param {string}  resource        REST resource to check, e.g. 'media' or 'posts'.
- * @param {?string} id              ID of the rest resource to check.
+ * @param {string}        requestedAction Action to check. One of: 'create', 'read', 'update',
+ *                                        'delete'.
+ * @param {string|Object} resource        Entity resource to check. Accepts entity object `{ kind: 'root', name: 'media', id: 1 }`
+ *                                        or REST base as a string - `media`.
+ * @param {?string}       id              ID of the rest resource to check.
  */
 export const canUser =
 	( requestedAction, resource, id ) =>
diff --git a/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts b/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
index 010cf347eee532..67c70d0310bcdf 100644
--- a/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
+++ b/packages/core-data/src/selectors.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ type EntityRecordArgs =
 	| [ string, string, EntityRecordKey ]
 	| [ string, string, EntityRecordKey, GetRecordsHttpQuery ];
 
+type EntityResource = { kind: string; name: string; id?: EntityRecordKey };
+
 /**
  * Shared reference to an empty object for cases where it is important to avoid
  * returning a new object reference on every invocation, as in a connected or
@@ -1136,7 +1138,8 @@ export function isPreviewEmbedFallback( state: State, url: string ): boolean {
  *
  * @param state    Data state.
  * @param action   Action to check. One of: 'create', 'read', 'update', 'delete'.
- * @param resource REST resource to check, e.g. 'media' or 'posts'.
+ * @param resource Entity resource to check. Accepts entity object `{ kind: 'root', name: 'media', id: 1 }`
+ *                 or REST base as a string - `media`.
  * @param id       Optional ID of the rest resource to check.
  *
  * @return Whether or not the user can perform the action,
@@ -1145,7 +1148,7 @@ export function isPreviewEmbedFallback( state: State, url: string ): boolean {
 export function canUser(
 	state: State,
 	action: string,
-	resource: string | Record< string, any >,
+	resource: string | EntityResource,
 	id?: EntityRecordKey
 ): boolean | undefined {
 	const isEntity = typeof resource === 'object';