然

Mandarin · pinyin rán

Meanings

  1. correct
  2. right
  3. so
  4. thus
  5. like this
  6. -ly
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Characters in this entry

然
rán · yes, certainly; pledge, promise
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · ran2

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 8 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

jin4

Cantonese word readings for 然. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character

  1. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) original form of 燃 (rán, “to burn”)
  2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) a demonstrative that refers to a previous verbal clause
  3. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) a demonstrative that refers to a previous verbal clause — (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) so; thus; in this manner; like this
  4. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) a demonstrative that refers to a previous verbal clause — (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) Suffix forming adverbs, sometimes also adjectives, with an abstract meaning of “in the manner of, like”.
  5. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) metaphors extracted from fossilizations of sense 2 — (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) but
  6. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) metaphors extracted from fossilizations of sense 2 — (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) correct; right
  7. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) metaphors extracted from fossilizations of sense 2 — (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to regard as correct; to agree
  8. (Teochew) to resemble; to be like

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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