About
The character "然" originally conveyed a concrete meaning, depicting the act of burning or cooking, as seen in its traditional composition which combines elements representing meat and fire. This literal sense of "to burn" became largely obsolete over time as the character was borrowed for its sound to serve a grammatical function in classical Chinese, where it was used as a suffix meaning "to be so" or "thus" to affirm a preceding statement. This grammatical role allowed it to evolve into a pivotal morpheme indicating affirmation, acceptance, or a state of being, which now forms the core of its modern meaning as seen in words like "當然" (of course) and "自然" (nature). Its structural form, particularly the traditional variant which clearly shows the fire component, remains a fossilized clue to its more tangible origins.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我们先吃饭然后看电影。
我当然喜欢这本书。
天空突然下起雨来。
这里的风景很自然。
虽然下雨，但我们还是去了。
他果然通过了考试。
他竟然忘记了她的生日。
他欣然接受了我们的邀请。