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然 — correct; right; so

correct; right; so; thus; like this; -ly

Pinyin
rán
Strokes
12
HSK level
HSK 2
Handwriting
recognition only

How to write 然: 12 strokes

Each cell adds one stroke to the previous ones, with the new stroke in red. Stroke order is not decoration: it sets the proportions of the character and makes handwriting legible to a reader. The syllabus asks you to recognise this character rather than write it by hand.

然 — 12 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 然

Words with 然 in the HSK syllabus: 42

Every word in the official 2026 syllabus that contains this character, with the level it is introduced at. Learning a character pays off through these: each one combines with the characters you already know.

  1. 虽然suīránalthough; even thoughHSK 2
  2. 当然dāngránonly natural; as it should be; certainly; of courseHSK 3
  3. 然后ránhòuthen; after that; afterwardsHSK 3
  4. 突然tūránsudden; abrupt; unexpectedHSK 3
  5. 大自然dàzìránnatureHSK 4
  6. 忽然hūránsuddenly; all of a suddenHSK 4
  7. 既然jìránsince; as; this being the caseHSK 4
  8. 竟然jìngránunexpectedly; to one's surpriseHSK 4
  9. 然而rán’érhowever; but; yetHSK 4
  10. 仍然réngránstill; as before; yetHSK 4
  11. 自然zìránnature; natural; naturallyHSK 4
  12. 必然bìráninevitable; certain; necessityHSK 5
  13. 不然bùránnot so; no; or else; otherwise; if notHSK 5
  14. 果然guǒránreally; sure enough; as expected; if indeedHSK 5
  15. 居然jūránunexpectedly; to one's surprise; go so far as toHSK 5
  16. 偶然ǒuránincidentally; occasional; occasionally; by chanceHSK 5
  17. 显然xiǎnránclearly; evidently; obviouslyHSK 5
  18. 依然yīránstill; as beforeHSK 5
  19. 天然tiānránnaturalHSK 6
  20. 天然气tiānránqìnatural gasHSK 6
  21. 不以为然bùyǐwéiránnot to accept as correct; to object; to disapproveHSK 7–9
  22. 断然duànránresolute; definitive; categorically; absolutelyHSK 7–9
  23. 公然gōngránopenly; publicly; undisguisedHSK 7–9
  24. 固然gùránadmittedlyHSK 7–9
  25. 赫然hèránwith astonishment; with a shock; awe-inspiringlyHSK 7–9
  26. 哗然huáránin uproar; commotion; causing a storm of protestHSK 7–9
  27. 焕然一新huànrán-yìxīnto look completely new; brand newHSK 7–9
  28. 恍然大悟huǎngrán-dàwùto suddenly realize; to suddenly see the lightHSK 7–9
  29. 截然不同jiérán-bùtóngentirely different; different as black and whiteHSK 7–9
  30. 理所当然lǐsuǒdāngránas it should be by rights; proper and to be expected as a matter of courseHSK 7–9
  31. 茫然mángránblankly; vacantly; at a lossHSK 7–9
  32. 猛然měngránsuddenly; abruptlyHSK 7–9
  33. 漠然mòránindifferent; apathetic; coldHSK 7–9
  34. 顺其自然shùnqízìránto let nature take its courseHSK 7–9
  35. 坦然tǎnráncalm; undisturbedHSK 7–9
  36. 一目了然yímù-liǎoránobvious at a glanceHSK 7–9
  37. 怡然自得yírán-zìdéhappy and contentHSK 7–9
  38. 毅然yìránfirmly; resolutely; without hesitationHSK 7–9
  39. 骤然zhòuránsuddenly; abruptlyHSK 7–9
  40. 自然而然zìrán’érránnatural; unforcedHSK 7–9

And 2 more across the higher levels — the full lists are on the level pages.

Glosses come from CC-CEDICT, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, and are the dictionary’s first sense rather than a translation chosen for context.