# 然

| 然 | U+7136, &#28982; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7136 |
| ← 焵 [U+7135] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 焷 → [U+7137] |

## Translingual
### Han character

然 (Kangxi radical 86, 火+8, 12 strokes, cangjie input 月大火 (BKF), four-corner 2333$_3$, composition ⿱⿰𱼀犬灬)

#### Derived characters

* 㒄, 㜣, 㦓, 㬗, 䔳, 䳿, 嘫, 撚, 橪, 燃, 繎, 蹨, 撚, 𡑋, 𡮫, 𤺱, 𥊶, 𥢯, 𥳚

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 675, character 12
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 19149
* Dae Jaweon: page 1086, character 20
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 3, page 2213, character 5
* Unihan data for U+7136

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 然 :
| Warring States | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 嘫 | *rneːn |
| 然 | *njen |
| 肰 | *njen |
| 繎 | *njon, *njen |
| 燃 | *njen |
| 蹨 | *njenʔ, *neːnʔ |
| 橪 | *njenʔ, *ʔneːn |
| 撚 | *neːnʔ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *njen): phonetic 肰 (OC *njen, “dog meat”) + semantic 火 (“fire”) – to burn. Also ideogrammic compound (會意 / 会意). The derivative 燃 (OC *njen) stands for the original word in Modern Chinese.
Note that the upper left component is analyzed as 肉 (meat), and in the component 肰 it is drawn as a tilted 月 (“moon”), appearing more like 夕 (“evening”) with an extra stroke (𱼀); compare 祭, 將.

### Etymology

A fusion of 如 (OC *nja, *njas) with an element *-n which has a demonstrative meaning (Schuessler, 2007).

### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): rán (ran$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄖㄢˊ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ran$^2$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): rán
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): rán
* Cantonese (Jyutping): jin$^4$
* Gan (Wiktionary): len$^4$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): yèn / yàn
    (Hailu, HRS): rhan
    (Meixian, Guangdong): yan$^2$
* Jin (Wiktionary): ran$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): ǐng
* Eastern Min (BUC): iòng
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): zeng$^2$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): liân / jiân
    (Teochew, Peng'im): riêng$^5$ / riang$^5$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$zoe / $^2$zoe / $^2$zie / $^2$ze / $^2$zuon
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): yenn$^2$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: rán
*** Zhuyin: ㄖㄢˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: rán
*** Wade–Giles: jan$^2$
*** Yale: rán
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ran
*** Palladius: жань (žanʹ)
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐän³⁵/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: ran$^2$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: rhan
*** Sinological IPA : /zan²¹/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: rán
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐã²⁴/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: rán
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): ran$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /ʐã²⁴/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: jin$^4$
*** Yale: yìhn
*** Cantonese Pinyin: jin$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: yin$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /jiːn²¹/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: len$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /lɛn³⁵/
* Hakka
** (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yèn
*** Hakka Romanization System: ien$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: yan$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /i̯en¹¹/
** (Southern Sixian, incl. Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: yàn
*** Hakka Romanization System: (r)ian$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: yan$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /(j)i̯an¹¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: rhan
*** Sinological IPA: /ʒan⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: yan$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /ian¹¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: ran$^1$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /ʐæ̃¹¹/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ǐng
*** Sinological IPA : /iŋ²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: iòng
*** Sinological IPA : /yoŋ⁵³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: zeng$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sɛŋ¹³/
* Southern Min
** (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: liân
*** Tâi-lô: liân
*** Phofsit Daibuun: lieen
*** IPA (Quanzhou, Taipei, Xiamen): /liɛn²⁴/
** (Hokkien: Kaohsiung, Zhangzhou)
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī: jiân
*** Tâi-lô: jiân
*** Phofsit Daibuun: jieen
*** IPA (Zhangzhou): /d͡ziɛn¹³/
*** IPA (Kaohsiung): /ziɛn²³/
** (Teochew)
*** Peng'im: riêng$^5$ / riang$^5$
*** Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: jiêng / jiâng
*** Sinological IPA : /d͡zieŋ⁵⁵/, /d͡ziaŋ⁵⁵/
* riêng5 - Chaozhou;
* riang5 - Shantou, Jieyang, Chenghai, Chaoyang.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit然 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ʐan³⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ʐan²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /ian⁴⁵/ /ʐan⁴⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ʐã⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /iã⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /ʐan⁵³/ /ʐan⁴²/ ～而 |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /ʐã²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /ʐã²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ʐan⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /ʐɛ̃n⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ʐan⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /nan²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /zan³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /zan²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ʐã̠³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /ʐaŋ²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /ʐæ̃⁵⁵/ /ʐən⁵⁵/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /zæ̃¹¹/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /ʐɑŋ¹³/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /ʐæ̃⁵³/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /zø²³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /zø¹³/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /zz̩ʷõ²¹³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /ji³¹/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /ie⁴⁴/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /iɛ⁴⁴/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /yẽ¹³/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /iẽ¹²/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /lɛn⁴⁵/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /ian¹¹/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /ʒen¹¹/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /jin²¹/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /jin²¹/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /jɐn²¹/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /lian³⁵/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /yoŋ⁵³/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /iŋ²¹/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /ziaŋ⁵⁵/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /zin³¹/ |
* Middle Chinese: nyen
Rime :
| Character | 然 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 日 (38) |
| Final (韻) | 仙 (77) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | III |
| Fanqie | 如延切 |
| Baxter | nyen |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /ȵiᴇn/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /ȵiɛn/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /ȵʑjæn/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /ȵian/ |
| Li Rong | /ȵiɛn/ |
| Wang Li | /ȵʑĭɛn/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ȵʑi̯ɛn/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | rán |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | jin$^4$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[n]a[n]/
    (Zhengzhang): /*njen/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 然 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | rán |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ nyen › |
| Old Chinese | /*[n]a[n]/ |
| English | so, thus; (adv suffix) |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. ||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 然 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 10756 |
| Phonetic component | 肰 |
| Rime group | 元 |
| Rime subdivision | 2 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 然 |
| Old Chinese | /*njen/ |

### Definitions

然
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Original form of 燃 (rán, “to burn”).
    From: Mencius, c. 4th century BCE
    Fán yǒu sìduān yú wǒ zhě, zhī jiē kuò ér chōng zhī yǐ, ruò huǒ zhī shǐ rán, quán zhī shǐ dá. [Pinyin]
    Since all men have these four principles in themselves, let them know to give them all their development and completion, and the issue will be like that of fire which has begun to burn, or that of a spring which has begun to find vent.
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) a demonstrative that refers to a previous verbal clause
    Near-synonym: 是 (shì)
** (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) so; thus; in this manner; like this
    然後／然后 ― ránhòu ― then (literally, “after things turn out this way”)
    不然 ― bùrán ― or else, otherwise (literally, “not so”)
    非然也。 [Classical Chinese] ― Fēi rán yě. [Pinyin] ― It is not so. / That is not how it is.
    From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Zǐ yuē: “Hé bì Gāo Zōng, gǔ zhī rén jiē rán.” [Pinyin]
    The Master said, "Why must Gao Zong be referred to as an example of this? The ancients were all like this.
** (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Suffix forming adverbs, sometimes also adjectives, with an abstract meaning of “in the manner of, like”.
    顯然／显然 ― xiǎnrán ― apparently, obviously
    果然 ― guǒrán ― as expected (literally, “as a result”)
    龐然大物／庞然大物 ― pángrándàwù ― giant, something enormous (literally, “a bigly big thing”)
    喟然長嘆／喟然长叹 ― kuìránchángtàn ― to sigh (with 喟 being an onomatopoeia)
* (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) metaphors extracted from fossilizations of sense 2
** (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) but
    然而 ― rán'ér ― but (literally, “(having said) that, and/but”)
    From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4th century BCE
    Wú bùnéng zǎo yòng zǐ, jīn jí ér qiú zǐ, shì guǎrén zhī guò yě. Rán Zhèng wáng, zǐ yì yǒu bùlì yān. [Pinyin]
    That I was not able to employ you earlier, and now beg your help in my straits, I acknowledge to be my fault. But if Zheng perish, you also will suffer loss.
** (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) correct; right
    不以為然／不以为然 ― bùyǐwèirán ― to not regard as correct (literally, “not regarding (reality) as (being) that”); to object
    From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
    Zǐ yuē: “Yōng zhī yán rán.” [Pinyin]
    The Master said, "Yong's words are right."
** (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to regard as correct; to agree
    From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE
    Pèi gōng rán qí jì, cóng zhī. [Pinyin]
    Liu Bang agreed with his plan and followed it.
* (Teochew) to resemble; to be like

#### Usage notes

This word is fossilized and cannot be used to form new expressions in Modern Chinese. In earlier Chinese, it could freely refer to any verb clause.
    29. 故善用兵譬如率然率然
       (literally, “So [the] good user [of] troops resembles like quickly [...] quickly [doing] that, i.e. using troops”)
    58. 投之亡地然後存陷之死地然後生
    Alternatively punctuated 投之亡地。然後存。陷之死地。然後生
       (literally, “Throw them (the troops) [into] death land. After doing that [they will] survive. Sink them (the troops) [into] death land. After doing that [they will] live”)
With the alternative punctuation, the quote commands the reader to actually try this, which is somewhat reasonable. However in Classical Chinese, all pronouns, including this, can also used be topicalizers to merely continue the last clause but linguistically unfocus it instead of starting a new sentence. The topicalization interpretation is equal to the following:
    *投之亡地後存。陷之死地後生

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 似 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 像 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 像 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 像 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 像 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 像 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 像 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 像 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 像 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 像 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 似 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 似 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 似 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 似 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 像 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 像 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 像 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 像 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 像 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 像 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 像 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 像 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 像 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 像 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 像 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 像 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 像 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 像 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 像 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 𫝛, macam |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 然 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 然 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 然 |
| Southern Min | Puning | 肖 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 然, macam |
| Southern Min | Batam (Teochew) | 然, macam |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 像 |
| Southern Pinghua | Nanning (Tingzi) | 像 |
| Wu | Danyang | 像 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 像, 像人家, 像家 |
| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 而, 然, 但, 卻, 則 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 但是, 但, 可是, 不過, 然而 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 但是, 但, 可是, 不過 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 但 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 但, 但是, 可是, 不過 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 但是 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Pematangsiantar | tapi |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 但係, 不過, 之不過, 之但係 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 但係, 不過, 之不過, 之但係, but |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 但係 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 但係 |
| Cantonese | Singapore (Guangfu) | 但係, 不過, 之不過 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 但係, 董係 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 但係, 毋過 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 但係, 毋過, 毋故 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 但係, 毋過 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 但係, 毋過 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 但係, 毋過 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 毋過 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 但係 |
| Hakka | Kuching (Hepo) | tapi |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 但是 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 但是 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 但是, 毋過, 毋句, 不過, 不而過 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 但是, 毋句, 不過, 不而過 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 但是, 毋過, 不過, 不而過 |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 但是, 毋過, 不而過 |
| Southern Min | Penang (Hokkien) | tapi, 但是 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | tapi, 但是, 毋句, 毋過 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 但是, 毋句, 毋過 |
| Southern Min | Medan (Hokkien) | tapi |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 是呾 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 是呾 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 是呾, 比補 |
| Southern Min | Bangkok (Teochew) | 但是, แต่ว่า |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 但是, tapi |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | tapi, 不過, 但是 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 但是 |
| Southern Min | Qionghai | 但是 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 但是, 必過, 不過, 但不過, 但必過 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 但必過 |

### Compounds

* 不其然
* 不期然 (bùqīrán)
* 不然 (bùrán)
* 不盡然 / 不尽然 (bùjìnrán)
* 不自然 (bùzìrán)
* 並然 / 并然
* 乍然 (zhàrán)
* 了然 (liǎorán)
* 云然
* 井然 (jǐngrán)
* 亦然 (yìrán)
* 仍然 (réngrán)
* 仆然
* 介然
* 佁然
* 依然 (yīrán)
* 使然 (shǐrán)
* 便不然
* 信然
* 俄然 (érán)
* 倓然 (tánrán)
* 倘然 (tǎngrán)
* 倏然
* 偶然 (ǒurán)
* 偶然性 (ǒuránxìng)
* 偶然論 / 偶然论
* 傀然
* 傲然 (àorán)
* 僩然 / 𰂎然
* 僻然
* 儼然 / 俨然 (yǎnrán)
* 儻然 / 傥然
* 充然
* 全然 (quánrán)
* 公然 (gōngrán)
* 具然
* 再不然 (zàibùrán)
* 冏然
* 冒然
* 冷然 (lěngrán)
* 凜然 / 凛然 (lǐnrán)
* 凝然
* 剨然
* 劃然 / 划然
* 劈然
* 勃然 (bórán)
* 匹然
* 卓然 (zhuórán)
* 卒然
* 呀然
* 哄然
* 啞然 / 哑然
* 喟然 (kuìrán)
* 嗒然 (tàrán)
* 噏然
* 嘸然 / 呒然
* 嘿然
* 囂然 / 嚣然
* 囅然 / 冁然
* 固然 (gùrán)
* 坦然 (tǎnrán)
* 填然
* 塌然
* 塊然 / 块然 (kuàirán)
* 墳然 / 坟然
* 大自然 (dàzìrán)
* 天然 (tiānrán)
* 天然林 (tiānránlín)
* 天然橋 / 天然桥
* 天然氣 / 天然气 (tiānránqì)
* 天然鈾 / 天然铀
* 奄然
* 奐然 / 奂然
* 奮然 / 奋然 (fènrán)
* 嫣然 (yānrán)
* 孑然 (jiérán)
* 安然 (ānrán)
* 定然 (dìngrán)
* 宛然 (wǎnrán)
* 宜然
* 宴然
* 寂然 (jìrán)
* 寞然
* 尚然
* 尨然
* 居然 (jūrán)
* 屹然 (yìrán)
* 岈然
* 岸然 (ànrán)
* 峨然
* 嶄然 / 崭然 (zhǎnrán)
* 嶔然 / 嵚然
* 嶷然
* 巋然 / 岿然 (kuīrán)
* 巍然 (wēirán)
* 已然 (yǐrán)
* 帖然
* 幡然 (fānrán)
* 幸然
* 廢然 / 废然
* 龐然 / 庞然
* 徒然 (túrán)
* 心靜自然涼 / 心静自然凉 (xīn jìng zìrán liáng)
* 必然 (bìrán)
* 忽然 (hūrán)
* 忻然
* 忿然 (fènrán)
* 忡然
* 怦然 (pēngrán)
* 怡然 (yírán)
* 怵然
* 怛然
* 怏然 (yàngrán)
* 怫然
* 恐恐然
* 恧然
* 恍然 (huǎngrán)
* 恬然 (tiánrán)
* 恤然
* 悄然 (qiǎorán)
* 悍然 (hànrán)
* 悠然 (yōurán)
* 悚然
* 悾然
* 悽然 / 凄然 (qīrán)
* 惙然
* 悵然 / 怅然 (chàngrán)
* 惠然
* 惆然
* 惘然 (wǎngrán)
* 惛然
* 惝然
* 慨然 (kǎirán)
* 愕然 (èrán)
* 惻然 / 恻然 (cèrán)
* 惶然
* 愀然
* 想當然 / 想当然 (xiǎngdāngrán)
* 愴然 / 怆然 (chuàngrán)
* 慄然 / 栗然
* 慘然 / 惨然 (cǎnrán)
* 憖憖然 / 慭慭然
* 憫然 / 悯然
* 憤然 / 愤然 (fènrán)
* 憬然
* 憮然 / 怃然 (wǔrán)
* 懍然 / 懔然
* 懣然 / 懑然
* 懵然 (měngrán)
* 懼然 / 惧然
* 戄然
* 或然率 (huòránlǜ)
* 戛然
* 戚然
* 截然 (jiérán)
* 所以然 (suǒyǐrán)
* 抖然
* 拂然
* 挺然
* 撇然
* 撲然 / 扑然
* 撒然
* 斐然 (fěirán)
* 斗然
* 料然
* 斷然 / 断然 (duànrán)
* 既然 (jìrán)
* 昂然 (ángrán)
* 昭然 (zhāorán)
* 昭然若揭 (zhāoránruòjiē)
* 晏然 (yànrán)
* 暢然 / 畅然
* 曠然 / 旷然
* 木木然
* 木然 (mùrán)
* 未然 (wèirán)
* 杳然 (yǎorán)
* 枉然 (wǎngrán)
* 果然 (guǒrán)
* 枵然
* 柔然 (Róurán)
* 栩然
* 森然 (sēnrán)
* 概然律
* 樊然
* 欣然 (xīnrán)
* 殷然
* 毅然 (yìrán)
* 決然 / 决然 (juérán)
* 汪然
* 沛然 (pèirán)
* 沸然
* 油然 (yóurán)
* 泠然
* 泯然
* 泫然
* 泰然 (tàirán)
* 洗然
* 洒然
* 洞然
* 浩然 (hàorán)
* 浡然
* 浩然巾
* 淡然 (dànrán)
* 淒然 / 凄然 (qīrán)
* 混然
* 渙然 / 涣然
* 湛然
* 渾然 / 浑然 (húnrán)
* 渥然
* 湢然
* 渺然
* 溘然
* 漠然 (mòrán)
* 漂然
* 漫然
* 潸然 (shānrán)
* 澹然 (dànrán)
* 灑然 / 洒然
* 灕然 / 漓然
* 灼然 (zhuórán)
* 炳然
* 然則 / 然则 (ránzé)
* 然否
* 然後 / 然后 (ránhòu)
* 然疑
* 然而 (rán'ér)
* 然雖 / 然虽
* 然頃 / 然顷
* 煥然 / 焕然
* 燁然 / 烨然 (yèrán)
* 熾然 / 炽然
* 燕然山
* 燦然 / 灿然 (cànrán)
* 爛然 / 烂然
* 爽然 (shuǎngrán)
* 犁然
* 猛然 (měngrán)
* 猝然 (cùrán)
* 猛然間 / 猛然间
* 猶然 / 犹然 (yóurán)
* 率然
* 當然 / 当然 (dāngrán)
* 的然
* 皆然
* 皓然 (hàorán)
* 皚然 / 皑然
* 皤然
* 皭然
* 盎然 (àngrán)
* 眇然
* 瞞瞞然 / 瞒瞒然
* 瞭然 / 了然 (liǎorán)
* 瞥然
* 瞥瞥然
* 瞿然
* 矍然
* 砉然
* 砰然
* 確然 / 确然
* 秩然
* 穆然
* 突然 (tūrán)
* 窅然
* 窪然 / 洼然
* 端然
* 粲然 (cànrán)
* 純然 / 纯然
* 索然 (suǒrán)
* 紛然 / 纷然
* 絕然 / 绝然
* 總然 / 总然
* 縱然 / 纵然 (zòngrán)
* 罄然
* 翕然
* 翛然
* 翩然
* 翻然 (fānrán)
* 聳然 / 耸然
* 肆然
* 肅然 / 肃然 (sùrán)
* 胥然
* 脫然 / 脱然
* 腆然
* 自然 (zìrán)
* 自然人 (zìránrén)
* 自然力 (zìránlì)
* 自然堤
* 自然數 / 自然数 (zìránshù)
* 自然村 (zìráncūn)
* 自然汞
* 自然率
* 自然界 (zìránjiè)
* 自然美
* 自然金
* 自然銀 / 自然银
* 自然銅 / 自然铜
* 自然鐵 / 自然铁
* 色然
* 艴然
* 芒然 (mángrán)
* 芒芒然
* 苟然
* 茫然 (mángrán)
* 茫茫然
* 莽然
* 萃然
* 著然
* 蓋然性 / 盖然性 (gàiránxìng)
* 蔚然 (wèirán)
* 蓬蓬然
* 蕭然 / 萧然
* 蕩然 / 荡然
* 薆然 / 𫉁然
* 薰然
* 藐然
* 藹然 / 蔼然 (ǎirán)
* 蘧然
* 衎然
* 衝然 / 冲然
* 褎然
* 要不然 (yàobùrán)
* 訇然
* 計然 / 计然
* 訢然 / 䜣然
* 誠然 / 诚然 (chéngrán)
* 諛然 / 谀然
* 謋然 / 𰵼然
* 譁然 / 哗然 (huárán)
* 讙然 / 欢然
* 豁然 (huòrán)
* 貿然 / 贸然 (màorán)
* 賁然 / 贲然
* 赧然 (nǎnrán)
* 赫然 (hèrán)
* 超然 (chāorán)
* 超然臺 / 超然台
* 超自然 (chāozìrán)
* 跫然 (qióngrán)
* 蹙然
* 蹴然
* 蹶然
* 蹴蹴然
* 躍然 / 跃然 (yuèrán)
* 軋然 / 轧然
* 軒然 / 轩然
* 軒然大波 / 轩然大波 (xuānrándàbō)
* 較然 / 较然
* 轟然 / 轰然 (hōngrán)
* 辟然
* 迥然 (jiǒngrán)
* 逌然
* 適然 / 适然
* 遽然 (jùrán)
* 邈然
* 釋然 / 释然 (shìrán)
* 重然諾 / 重然诺 (zhòngránnuò)
* 錚錚然 / 铮铮然
* 鏗然 / 铿然 (kēngrán)
* 閔然 / 闵然
* 閹然 / 阉然
* 闇然 / 暗然
* 闃然 / 阒然 (qùrán)
* 闐然 / 阗然
* 陌然
* 陡然 (dǒurán)
* 陡然間 / 陡然间
* 陶然 (táorán)
* 陶然亭 (Táorántíng)
* 隤然 / 𬯎然
* 隱然 / 隐然
* 隺然
* 雖然 / 虽然
* 雜然 / 杂然
* 霍然 (huòrán)
* 靡然
* 靦然 / 䩄然
* 竟然 (jìngrán)
* 須然 / 须然
* 頎然 / 颀然
* 頓然 / 顿然 (dùnrán)
* 頹然 / 颓然
* 顯然 / 显然 (xiǎnrán)
* 颯然 / 飒然
* 飀飀然 / 飗飗然
* 飄然 / 飘然 (piāorán)
* 飄飄然 / 飘飘然 (piāopiāorán)
* 駭然 / 骇然 (hàirán)
* 騞然 / 𬴃然
* 騷然 / 骚然
* 驀然 / 蓦然 (mòrán)
* 驟然 / 骤然 (zhòurán)
* 鬨然 / 哄然
* 魏然
* 默然 (mòrán)
* 黯然 (ànrán)
* 黭然

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)
* and; and then; and therefore
* so; if so; as it is; in that way
* however; but
* a certain thing; a sort of thing

#### Readings

* Go-on: ねん (nen, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: ぜん (zen, Jōyō)
* Kun: しか (shika, 然)、しかり (shikari, 然り)、しかし (shikashi, 然し)、しかも (shikamo, 然も)、もえる (moeru, 然える)、しかれども (shikaredomo, 然れども)、しかして (shikashite, 然して)、さ (sa, 然)、そう (sou, 然う)、そして (soshite, 然して)

#### Compounds

* 靄然(あいぜん) (aizen, literally “mist-like”): gentle; serene
* 唖(あ)然(ぜん) (azen)
* 一目瞭然(いちもくりょうぜん) (ichimokuryōzen)
* 愕然(がくぜん) (gakuzen)
* 砉然(けきぜん) (kekizen)
* 毅(き)然(ぜん) (kizen)
* 偶然(ぐうぜん) (gūzen): coincidence
* 公然(こうぜん) (kōzen)
* 自(し)然(ぜん) (shizen): nature; natural; naturally
** 自(し)然(ぜん)界(かい) (shizenkai)
** 自(し)然(ぜん)科(か)学(がく) (shizen kagaku)
** 自(し)然(ぜん)環(かん)境(きょう) (shizen kankyō)
** 自(し)然(ぜん)現(げん)象(しょう) (shizen genshō)
* 全然(ぜんぜん) (zenzen)
* 騒然(そうぜん) (sōzen)
* 泰然自若(たいぜんじじゃく) (taizenjijaku)
* 徒然(つれづれ) (tsurezure)
* 天然(てんねん) (tennen)
* 当然(とうぜん) (tōzen): naturally, matter of course
* 同然(どうぜん) (dōzen): just like; the same as; as good as
* 突然(とつぜん) (totsuzen)
* 判然(はんぜん) (hanzen): clearness
* 必然(ひつぜん) (hitsuzen)
* 呆然(ぼうぜん) (bōzen)
* 未(み)然(ぜん) (mizen)
* 慄然(りつぜん), りつ然(ぜん) (ritsuzen): horrified

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 然
* ぜん Grade: 4
* on'yomi
From Middle Chinese 然 (nyen, “-like”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: [d͡zẽ̞ɴ]

### Suffix

然(ぜん) • (-zen)
* indicates a state (no specific semantic content)

### References

* Halpern, Jack: New Japanese-English Character Dictionary -Kenkyusha 1990

## Korean
### Hanja

然 (eumhun 그러할 연 (geureohal yeon))
* hanja form of 연 (“be as it is”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

然: Hán Việt readings: nhiên
* This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.