yersi Posted August 3, 2008 at 03:07 PM Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 at 03:07 PM Chinese has an awful lot of words ending in 然, and a lot of them seem to mean suddenly/abruptly or something like that. We had a thread about this a while back but it only covered a few so I'll make another one for it. I found this list on Unilang over words that mean "suddenly", I've seen most of them before but I'm only familiar with few. Can a native speaker come in and explain their differences? 突然 忽然 猛然 - suddenly and forcefully, as in 猛然一拳 蓦然 陡然 居然 - unexpectedly, kinda like 竟然 我一直以為我們關係很好，但他今天居然給我說他要分手。 遽然 豁然 霍然 赫然 猝然 - used when somebody dies of a heart attack, e.g 猝然倒下 恍然 倐然 骤然 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinapage Posted August 3, 2008 at 05:17 PM Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 at 05:17 PM 果然 自然 不自然 不然 天然 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creamyhorror Posted August 3, 2008 at 08:25 PM Report Share Posted August 3, 2008 at 08:25 PM I think 然 is an adverbial suffix, so it forms two-character adverbs. Don't know why so many of them happen to mean "suddenly" or similar, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yersi Posted August 4, 2008 at 02:26 AM Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 at 02:26 AM Hmm, I wasn't really asking about 然 but more about the synonyms for "suddenly". Thanks for the input though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tavi360 Posted August 4, 2008 at 08:48 AM Report Share Posted August 4, 2008 at 08:48 AM As long as we're on the topic, from: http://www.chinesetime.cn/learn/chinese/community/tabid/119/forumid/20/threadid/1896/scope/posts/language/en-US/Default.aspx Not my work, thanks to chinesesavvy for this: " 副词/形容词+然，表示一种状态，常常作状语。做状语时，可以理解成“副词/形容词+地”。有时也可以做谓语，定语，补语。英语中有一些形容词加"ly"可以变成副词。 The suffix “然” may be added after a few adverbs and adjectives to create a complete word that indicates a certain state of being. Such words are often used as adverbials, but may act as a predicate, attributive, and complement as well. In terms of meaning, the “然” suffix is like “-like” in English and in terms of function, it works like “-ly”. （1） 副词+然。adverb + 然 突然 (adv. suddenly; unexpectedly) ：很快地，没有想到地。作状语。如，(acts as an adverbial) Sample sentences: •我正在学习，突然停电了。 I was reading when the power was suddenly out. •汽车突然一停，我差点没摔倒。 I almost fell to the ground when the car suddenly came to a halt. •刚才天气还挺好，怎么突然下起雨来了？ It was fine just now. How come it started to rain suddenly? 作谓语，如，(acting as predicate) Sample sentences •这个消息太突然了。 The news came as a great surprise to me. •他问得太突然了，我不知道怎么回答他才好。 I was totally unprepared for his question and didn’t know what to say. （2） 形容词+然。adjective +然 欣然 (adv. readily; with pleasure) ：高兴地。如， Sample sentences: •他的脾气不太好，但是这次～同意了我提出的建议。 He has a temper, but for once, he readily consented to do as I suggested. •她虽然舍不得女朋友的离开,但为了她的安全,～地答应了她的离开。 Altough she was reluctant to let her friend leave, she readily agreed to it for the sake of her friend’s safety. •妈妈看了他的考试成绩，～地点了点头。 Mum had a look at his exam results and nodded with pleasure. 茫然 (adv. blankly; at a loss)：迷惑地。如， •对于裁判的判决结果，他一脸～。 He couldn’t believe that the referee made such a call and was at a loss. •从监狱出来，她～地不知道往哪儿走。 Stepping out of the prison gate, she was at a loss as for where to turn. •他醒来以后，～地看了看周围，还不知道这是医院。 After he woke up, he looked around blankly, not knowing that he had been lying in a hospital bed. 显然 (adv. obviously; clearly)：明显地。如， Sample sentences: •看着导演得意的表情，～他对这部电影很满意。 Just see how elated the director looks. It is obvious that he is very pleased with the movie. •一个月两百块钱想要租房子，～是不够的。 Setting aside two hundred yuan a month for rent clearly is not enough. •这次的考试他努力地准备了半年，对于这样的考试结果，～他不能接受。 He prepared half a year for the exam and has been working very hard for it during this period. Clearly he is not prepared to accept such a result. 公然 (adv. openly; flagrant; shamelessly)：公开地。如， Sample sentences: •这些工厂～把污水倒进河中。 These plants shamelessly dumped their sewage into the river. •在这次全国的考试中，他～作弊。 He flagrantly cheated on the national examination. •小偷～在公共汽车上偷乘客的钱。 The thief boldly picked passengers’ pockets on a bus. 毅然 (adv. firmly; resolutely)：坚决地。如， Sample sentences: •他～地献身祖国的科学事业。 He firmly committed himself to scientific research development in China. •他～地离开了美国，回到了思念已久的家乡。 He firmly made the decision to leave the United States and come back to his dear hometown that he has been missing all the time. •作为一名大学生，他～报名从军了。 He firmly made the decision to enlist himself in the army when he was a college student. 泰然 (adv. calmly; with perfect composure)：形容心情很安定。如， Sample sentences: •在中国有一句古话“得之淡然，失之～，争其必然，顺其自然”。 As an old Chinese saying goes, “we take life and its ups and downs with grace and do not close the door when opportunities knocks.” •他临危不惧，神情～。 Even though he was in grave danger, he was calm, cool and collected." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted August 9, 2008 at 03:40 PM Report Share Posted August 9, 2008 at 03:40 PM 突然=忽然, 居然=竟然, 居然 kind of means "how can someone do that", it doesnt mean suddenly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
歐博思 Posted March 12, 2021 at 11:15 AM Report Share Posted March 12, 2021 at 11:15 AM I'm gonna necromance this post because I have a question about one of these in particular 自然 (vs 自然而然) If I want to put into Chinese the sentence "naturally, I wasn't familiar with this new place", would there be any difference between the two? It feels more natural for me in this case to use the longer 自然而然, but are they 1:1 in meaning here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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